The Truth Hurts
by secretivemuch
Summary: The truth hurts. But maybe we only tell it so we can feel pain. So we can still feel partly human for a little while. Katniss Everdeen moves to California after the tragic death of her sister and father, and at her new school everyone wants to know more about the girl that doesn't have a reason for living... or maybe it's because of the motorbike.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys this is my new story, I watched a movie and came up with this, don't worry it's nothing like the movie. All rights go to Suzanne Collins for the characters, hope you enjoy and reviews are muchly appreciated as I read a couple chapters of your work if I like your review and sorta adverstise you on here!

Thanks for sticking by me! Oh and don't worry, you'll meet other characters soon! 1,653 words!

-Court x

* * *

Chapter One

Me? I'm just Katniss Everdeen, I'm just a girl in her senior year waiting for the bigger things and better places scenario to happen even though I know it won't because life sucks. The truth is nobody cares about you or your feelings they only care about one thing and that's helping themselves.

You could say I'm feeling a little pessimistic, well wouldn't you if you were sat in a car with your mom, dad and little sister one second enjoying the music you're listening to and the life you're living, but then that very next second everything is taken away from you and even the things you do get to keep are completely broken and, well, fucked up.

The truth hurts.

Get over it.

My mother pulls into the driveway of our new home, the movers are already here and bringing in our stuff, I just sit on the grass verge at the end of the drive listening to music, it's all the good stuff like Sleeping with Sirens, Bring me the Horizon, Pierce the Veil, Jason Mraz, The Script, My Chemical Romance a.k.a the stuff with meaning unlike the One Direction crap that everyone seems to be listening to at the moment.

It happened a week into senior year, then when I returned back to school everyone gave me their sympathy and I didn't want it. I was always into the good music with meaning and no one but my family understood that and now there's no one, not even the empty shell of my mother.

After the countless amounts of hate mail I was receiving for being an 'emo' I decided to leave or rather my mother did, she didn't want to live in the house they lived in anymore and neither did I. Too many memories. So we sold the house and moved here, to Panem. To start again, I suppose but starting again always seems to mean happiness and I am far from happiness.

* * *

I feel a presence beside me and I turn to see my mother standing on the grass verge beside me, she looks withdrawn, as ever, and just stares straight ahead not really acknowledging my presence. I turn off my music iPhone and shove it into my satchel, it was his, he used it for work…

"Do you want to sort out your room?" she asks not looking at me, I'm not looking at her either, we're just staring forwards, the only movement from our breathing and hushed talking.

"Not really," I say standing up and brushing the grass slowly from my black jeans.

"Do you want some help?"

"No," I say before turning around and walking towards this beautiful white house, we are living in our own darkness and yet she buys a white house, it's almost poetic justice. I scowl at the house.

"Second door on the left," she calls after me, still not looking at me, just looking forward, in the same position she was in when I was sat on the grass verge. I hesitantly walk inside. The walls are all white or some form of magnolia, it's close enough.

I walk up the stairs and notice three doors, there's my room which is the second on the left and two others. I push on the frame of the door on the right, revealing another bedroom, obviously my mother's room then I push on the frame of the door closest to my room, it's bathroom. These simple things make me sound deject and I can assure you I am. I push the door open to my room and see that all I have to show for seventeen years on this planet is one box, one large suitcase of clothes and a guitar in its case, his guitar. One box and a large suitcase, the guitar and its case are irrelevant.

There's a small walk in closet concealed by a door, I pick up the guitar, in its case, and put it at the back of the closet. I open my suitcase, everything is still on their hangers, just folded in half, and I pick them out and hang them on the rail, hiding the guitar, I place my underwear and socks into the draws and go back to the suitcase. I take my suitcase which now only contains my shoes and empty it on the floor of the closet, then push the suitcase under my bed and close the closet door.

I grab my box and filter through it; there are old knickknacks, posters, music awards and one picture of the four of us. Nothing of importance. I take out an alarm clock and place it on the bedside table the rest is useless apart from the posters, I take them out too along with some blue tack. I put it to the back of the closet with the guitar and its case.

I tack posters to my bare walls, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Bring the Horizon, My Chemical Romance, The Script and more. I stare at the posters for a while and think about the music but my brain goes in a loop and brings me back around to my sister and my dad. I won't say their names; it just makes it more real.

* * *

The phone rings downstairs, I know she won't answer it so I hurry down the stairs and pick up the receiver.

"Just calling to see if you make it up there ok," the voice on the other end of the line says. The voice on the other end of the line is Haymitch, he's my dad's brother and he's probably the most screwed up out the lot of us. You see, when my father died he got addicted to alcohol, he still is, his family left him, they didn't want to know him anyone. He's alone…. very much like I am.

"We got here ok," I say monotone.

"Hey Sweetheart," he says using the nickname that he seems to use when only talking to me.

"Uncle Haymitch," I say.

"Can I talk to you about something serious?"

"If you want," I say deject.

"I want you to not be me," I don't think he's sober. Screw that, I know he's not sober.

"I can't be you, you're a guy," I say acting dumb.

"You know what I mean," he says gruffly "I just want you to remember them, remember who you are, remember where you come from and remember that they love you,"

"Loved," I correct.

"No Katniss, love, they'll never stop loving you or your mother. I know the last time I saw you was the funeral, but I saw your report card and I heard about the bullying," I groan inwardly at his comment "I know it could be a little too late for your mother, but you're young and you can move on. You need to remember that it wasn't your fault and that you are never alone and hell, if you get bored of the California sunshine you could always come back home to visit,"

"Thanks," I say and I truly mean it, this must be a first for Haymitch, he must be as sober as it gets.

"Katniss?"

"Yeah?"

"You should take the picture out the box," he says knowingly "Maybe not the music awards or the crummy old knickknacks but definitely the picture, it'll help you sleep at night, I can promise you that," I nod at him down the phone before realising that he can't see me.

"I think I kinda needed that," I say truthfully.

"So did I," he gives a small chuckle "You are just like your father, stubborn as fuck, you look just like him too, don't try to forget everything, Katniss,"

"I don't want to forget," I say and it's true I don't, not that I can forget

"I better go, sweetheart, call me if you need anything," he says reassuring me that he will be there for me.

"I will, thanks Haymitch," I say putting the phone back on the hook and I sigh. He had a way with words, he always did, must run in the family.

"I guess I should take it off," I jump and turn to see my mother standing on the other side of the counter island; she's playing with the wedding ring on her bony finger.

"But you don't have to," I say looking at the ring which she is twisting around on her finger, she's doing the same.

"I think I want to," she replies still not looking at me she slides the ring off her finger and places it on the counter in front of her "I buried you father's,"

"You buried it in the woods, didn't you?" I say knowingly, it was his favourite place; we would go most days for picnics. She nods slowly. "Prim would know what to say, what to do, how to act," but then she does something that surprises me, she hugs me "I can't forget, mom," I say "I don't want to forget,"

"I know and you'll never be like Prim because you're Katniss, she'll be safe now, with her father," she says

"Our Little Duck is flying in those blue skies she always talked about," I say as a single tear rolls down my cheek.

"Our Little Duck…" she whispers burying her face in my hair

"Do you want to leave the unpacking for tomorrow? We can eat fuck loads of ice cream and watch a movie," I say

"That would be nice," she says slowly releasing me from her terrifyingly tight grip as if it was a desperate attempt to hold onto something.

And that's what we do.

The truth hurts.

But maybe we only tell it so we can feel pain.

So we can still feel partly human for a little while.

Even if you're the girl that has no reason to live anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys thanks for the awesome reviews and that, this chapter is a bit perkier it's 2,335 words long. I had a tough time with choosing the best reviewer but for chapter one, I came to the conclusion that **B4nana98** was the best, you should check her/his story **Secrets** I swear I'm hooked :) thanks for reviewing again, I appreciate it.

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Two

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I groan and slam my fist down on the snooze button because the dreams weren't actually that bad that night but the stupid tune continues to play, I slam my fist down again and again, still nothing.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

That's it. I rip the warm covers from my body and yank the cord harshly out the wall. Mornings are not my time, it's almost as if the universe wants me to get up, so for today the universe is definitely not working in my favour.

I stomp into the bathroom with careless feet and almost trip over myself twice, Mondays are a bummer, especially when you're starting a new school in a new state half way through the year just after Christmas break, which means that everyone has their friendship groups and no one wants to know the new girl.

But I don't care, yeah the truth hurts but I'm already over it, solitude is kinda my thing now, I mean, I barely talk to my mother because she's only ever at work or crying and drinking at the same time. It's depressing.

I shower and blow dry my hair before tying it in its usual side braid. I change into a dark green jumper with a squirrel on the front, some black skinny jeans, black converse and a military style jacket. I don't bother with make-up, I usually don't, anyways why try to make an impression on the people that will no doubt hate for me the rest of my year and possibly life.

I paint my nails black as I listen to music, not just any music, mine and dad's music. We wrote songs together, he'd play his guitar and we'd both sing. I have it all on my iPhone. Tears threaten to spill but I push them back and mentally scold myself.

One the nail polish is dry, I turn off my music and hop down the stairs with my or rather his satchel.

"You're bike has been dropped off," she means my motorbike, dad's motorbike, he gave it to me when I turned sixteen he even taught me everything so we didn't have to pay for the lessons just for me to take the test. I passed easily so he gave me his Harley Davidson.

"Thank fuck," I say pushing the memory away

"Language!" she scolds

"Will you tell me where my school is? So you know, I know how to get there?" I ask taking a large bite of an apple, apple juice ruins down my chin and I wipe it away with my sleeve.

"You take the right out the driveway and follow the signs," she says putting away some cutlery "I won't be home for dinner, so I trust you to eat something,"

"Okay," I say grabbing my bike helmet from the kitchen table

"Oh and Katniss, try to make friends,"

"Seriously?" I ask incredulously

"Yes, you'll need them; you can't just talk to your mother for the rest of your life,"

"I wasn't planning on it," I say putting on my bike helmet "Have fun at work, mom," I say

"Be nice!" she calls after me as I walk out the front door.

And there it is, standing in the driveway lapping up the California sun, I climb on and put my keys in the ignition and lift up the stand. I rev the engine and smirk, god I missed this.

I drive down the road, noticing that my mother is watching me from the kitchen window; I can't tell if she's really watching me, she looks distant. I shake my head, ignoring my thoughts, and I drive down the road looking for the signs for Panem High School. I find it quite easily and pull into the car park, heads turn but I couldn't care less. I pull into a space and put my stand down so the bike stands freely; I take off my helmet and shake my hair freely in the wind. I pull my bag up and keep hold of my helmet, I walk into the reception.

"How may I help, dear?" asks the woman behind the desk, she's a little strange looking; she has pink hair in this ridiculous looking Georgian style, she also wears this stiff looking tweed dark pink suit with a lighter pink silk blouse, her make-up is also of course pink and there is a lot of it…

"I'm a new student, I was told to come to reception on my first day, I'm Katniss Everdeen, senior,"

"One second," she says spinning on her swivel chair and turns to the grey filing cabinet and flicks throw the files in the second door, repeating my surname until she whips out a yellow file. She opens the file and skims the page until her smile falters. Must be about the accident. "Here," she says handing me two pieces of paper, one A4 and the other a small slip of paper "The bigger piece is your timetable and the smaller piece is your locker combination," she says stating the obvious "Your locker number is two one three,"

"Thank you," I say turning away but then she says something that stops me in my tracks

"Keep your head up high, kid," she read it. I sigh in frustration before walking away without looking back. I find my locker easily enough but a group of girls in really short skirts stand in the way. I huff, annoyed, could my day get any worse?

"Move out the way sluts," I say rather loudly barging through them and open my locker, it has all the books I need in them, I put my helmet in my lockers as the girls in short skirts stomp their feet and huff before walking away. I laugh to myself and look at my schedule.

English- Mr Snow room 103

Biology- Beetee lab 7

Gym- Atala track field

I fold the paper up and shove it in my back pocket before pulling out an English folder, it's plain black at the moment but I can always stick stuff to it if I want, then I take out my biology textbook and workbook.

I close my locker and turn around and bump into some guy with brown hair and grey eyes like mine, he's pretty tall and good looking, he strikes me as the musical type.

"Sorry," I mutter picking up my English folder and biology textbook, he hands me the workbook.

"S'okay," he says "Are you new around here? It's just I haven't seen you before,"

"New today," I say sarcastically happy

"So you must be the girl on the bike," he smirks

"Just what I need, a reputation,"

"Nah, you don't have one yet, everyone just knows you as the badass looking girl on the bike,"

"Badass?" I ask raising my eyebrows

"That and hot,"

"Okay…" I say awkwardly

"Those were the very words of my friend Marvel,"

"He's called Marvel?" I ask incredulously

"His mom is called Diamond,"

"Wow… and I thought you couldn't get worse than my name," I say

"Can't be that bad,"

"I'm named after a plant,"

"So what? Rose? Lily?"

"Katniss actually," I say "Katniss Everdeen, senior," it's practically my forte to say that now…

"Well Katniss Everdeen, I'm Gale Hawthorne, I'm a senior too," he says shaking my hand "So 'Katniss actually Katniss Everdeen' what do you have next few periods?"

"English with Mr Snow, Biology with Beetee and Gym with Atala,"

"Well Catnip, we have the same first two lessons," he smirks leading the way to room 103

"It's Katniss," I say before following.

We get to room 103 and take a seat at the back of the class just as the bell rings, my new found friend, Gale, sits next to me.

"Snow's a total bitch but only if he doesn't like you… and when he likes you, so stick to being average," he whispers as an old man with white hair and a beard places his briefcase on the desk with a resounding thud and he takes a swig of what smells like coffee before speaking.

"Good morning," he says, he sounds quite intimidating he it doesn't bother me "Welcome back, I would ask how was your winter break but I really couldn't care less," he says, I think I might like this man "And it appears we have a new student," he says with a devious smirk, ok change of mind, he might not be that great "What is your name, Miss Everdeen?"

"You just said it," I say shyly, in an attempt to avoid conversation

"I haven't had chance to read your file yet but I am sure that you will be just another troublemaker, tell everyone your first name,"

"It's Katniss for anyone who actually cares," I say quietly

"Now," he says slamming his hand down on his desk getting everyone's undivided attention "I want you to learn about each other, a sort of who am I project, so pair up,"

"Partners?" whispers Gale, I nod

"So I want you to write a poem or an essay or something like that about your partner then read it aloud to the class, so this requires afterschool work so you have to put the effort in on this one," he says looking at some kids in the class "You may begin," he says sitting down on the chair behind his desk, he slurps his coffee contently whilst watching me. I smirk and turn to Gale.

"So partner," says Gale "Who is the real Katniss Everdeen?" he says and I laugh and shake my head

"I think you have to piece that together yourself," I say

"So when do you wanna work on this?" he asks

"I guess I'm free tonight, my mom's working late so you could show me a good place to order pizza from,"

"Yeah that's cool," he says as the bell rings, Snow dismisses us and Gale shows me the way to biology.

* * *

We sit at a bench and a girl with black/brown hair comes and joins us.

"Finally got yourself a girlfriend, Gale?" she smirks, Gale goes bright red and I laugh

"No, she's biker girl from earlier," he says

"Oh, nice bike," she smiles "I'm Clove Fuhrman, one of Gale's bestest of friends!" she jokes, Gale blushes again

"Katniss Everdeen," I say with a small smile, the teacher comes in and sets us the work of answer questions from the textbook; it was simple seeing as the answers were on the page.

"I just love biology," sighs Clove doodling over the front of her book "Beetee doesn't care what we as long as we finish the questions,"

"Cool," I say as I finish answering a question.

* * *

"So what have you got next?" asks Clove as the bell rings, Gale says goodbye before ducking out the classroom rather quickly

"Gym," I say

"Gale's got math, but I'm in the same class so I can show you where to go, but you need to pick up the gym from the gym office," she leads me to the office and knocks on the door

"Yes?" asks a woman with gold teeth, she's kinda scary, who am I kidding? She looks like she could snap me in two

"Katniss is new today, can she get her gym kit?" asks Clove impatiently

"Here ya go, kid," she says tossing me a Panem high school t-shirt and a pair of shorts

"Thanks," I say and Clove drags me into the changing room

"So where you from?" asks Clove pulling on her gym shirt

"A small town that nobody has ever heard of," I say

"Gimmee a chance, hit me with it," she says bouncing on the balls of her feet

"Seam," I say

"Nope never heard of it," she says pulling on her shorts and proceeding to do her shoes before tying back her hair into a high ponytail whilst I change into the shirt and shorts, leaving my shoes as I have no others with me. "Come on," she says as we walk out onto the track field "Hey Cato," she says fist bumping a tall blonde boy

"Who's this?" asks Cato

"Cato, this is Katniss Everdeen, the biker chick from earlier," serious what's with the labels? "Katniss this is Cato Ludwig, electric guitar legend," she says almost bowing to him when the teacher comes out. This all of us? There aren't many of us, maybe about ten.

"Ok, today we're doing two hundred meters," she says clapping her hands together "You, new girl, what's your name?" she asks me

"K-Katniss Everdeen," I say

"Are you related to John Everdeen?" she asks, how does she know my dad?

"Yeah, he was my dad," she nods knowingly before getting back to the telling people which lane to stand in, Clove raises and eyebrow at me but I shrug her off.

I'm put in lane eight, in between Clove and Cato. Clove is smirking at Cato which could only mean one thing- they're fast.

Atala blows the whistle and we break into sprints, I'm just ahead of Clove who is in third place, Cato is in front in first, he smirks at me as if this is a breeze so I push myself harder, I think about the bullying.

_"You're a loser!"_

_"Who listens to this crap?"_

_"How cute you have a recording of you and your dead dad!"_

_"I bet he wanted to die, to get away from you!"_

Suddenly I am aware of crossing the finish line. Cato comes in after, panting, followed by a tired Clove but I don't look at them. I stare into nothingness thinking about the crash.

"Katniss?" I am aware of Clove clicking her fingers in front of my face

"Sorry, what?" I ask snapping out of it

"We can go get changed for lunch, I guess you just spaced out for a second," she says oblivious, I follow her inside to change back into my normal clothes for lunch.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys, thanks for all the reviews but I'm sure you could do better :) The best reviewer for the last chapter goes to... **Catniss child2 **thanks for reviewing, this chapter is 1,871 words and I should hopefully be able to update a little earlier tomorrow:)

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Three

Clove and I change and exit the changing room; she leads me to the cafeteria.

"And this is the cafeteria!" she says rather loudly throwing her arms out, the whole cafeteria turns to look, I give Clove a scowl and she grabs my wrist and pulls me over to the food. We each grab a tray and we both get some sandwiches, I get some carrot sticks and follow Clove to get some strawberry jelly. "Come meet my friends," she says walking over to a table; I follow and slid into the bench next to her.

There's Cato, a shorter blonde guy with amazing blue eyes and Gale. Gale smiles and I give him a small smile back.

"Everyone meet, Katniss Everdeen," says Clove "You obviously know Gale,"

"What up?" he says taking a bite of his sandwich, I laugh

"That's Peeta," she says directing my line of vision to the shorter blonde "And that's Cato from gym,"

"So why'd ya move?" asks Peeta

"Rude!" taunts Cato

"Shut up," says Peeta mocking his tone quietly and elbowing Cato, Peeta raises his eyebrows slightly to get me to answer the question.

"My mom got a job offer," I say, it's a half-truth which I use quite often "She's a doctor," I take a bite out my sandwich

"You still have to tell me where you got that bike!" says Gale almost drooling at the idea of my bike, I laugh

"It was my dad's," I say "He gave it to me when I passed my test, it was his and he used to drive me and my little sister to school," I say thinking of the fond memories I had on that bike, Prim always drove side cart, she didn't like sitting on the bike, she thought it was too dangerous.

"He must be amazing," smiles Peeta and now it's turn for Cato to elbow him in the ribs "What was that for?" he argues, Clove and Gale are watching me dangerously

"Past tense, genius," he says quietly, hoping that I don't hear, but I do

"Sorry," says Peeta to me

"It's fine," I say eating a carrot stick and it goes awkwardly quiet

"Can't make it to practice tonight guys," says Gale, I don't know what he means by practice but we're working on the project tonight.

"Wait, why?" asks Clove

"I'm going to Katniss'," he smiles

"Wait, what? Why?" asks Peeta shocked and blushing slightly

"We got an English project; we each have to write about each other," I explain

"A get to know you project? Halfway through the year?" asks Cato

"Yup," says Gale smirking, he pops the p much to Cato's annoyance "We can practice tomorrow night,"

"I'm up for that," says Clove everyone else nods and I just sit there awkwardly, I was a social butterfly like Prim at one point but then after their deaths, I just stopped talking to people. Gale, Clove, Cato and Peeta are the first people my age that I have talked to in months. When I was being bullied I didn't talk to anyone.

"So how who won in gym today?" asks Peeta looking at Clove and Cato, is this like a big thing

"Neither of us did," says Cato giving me a half smile

"So who beat you?" asks Gale

"I did," I say "Not by much," I excuse

"You beat me by like ten meters!" exclaims Cato

"Ni-ce!" smirks Peeta

"So what have you got next?" asks Cato, I slip the timetable out of my back pocket and unfold it on the table, flattening it with my hands. Clove peers over my shoulder.

"Music and math," I say

"You do music?" asks Gale

"Looks like it," I sigh

"Well we've all got music with you and you've got maths with Peeta," says Cato

"Cool," I say folding up the piece of paper and shoving it back in my back pocket.

* * *

After lunch we all went to our lockers and get our books for the next two lessons before heading off the music together. We sat along the back row, Gale and Cato were arguing over the songs. Gale said that Little Things by One Direction was an amazing some with a whole lot of meaning whilst Cato was telling him that it wasn't and that there are hundreds of meaningful songs out there. I think I might like Cato.

Clove, Peeta and I however are getting annoyed.

"Would you two just give it a rest!" shouts Clove and they immediately stop talking

"Well what do you guys think?" asks Gale

"I think you're giving me a headache," moans Clove "All One Direction wants to do is get into a girl's pants, the song Bulletproof Love by Pierce the veil however, that was a suicide note, you can't get more meaning than that,"

"Peet?" asks Gale

"One Direction do not just want to get some, they're talking about love and all the little things that make the relationship special, I sometimes wonder how you can listen to some of that stuff…" he says "It's a bit dark…"

"It's not," I say and suddenly everyone's eyes are on me "The lyrics explain that the poor guy is heartbroken, that they loved this person so much it hurt, they wanted to hold onto them forever and as the line from the chorus goes 'my love for you was bulletproof but you were the one that shot me' meaning that the love he had for her was something she couldn't kill even when she hurt him, that's love, not how someone's hand fits there perfectly, it doesn't mean that you're meant for them it just means that your hands can fit together in a way that you think is right, god Gale, you have bad taste in music!" I laugh at the end and Clove chuckles.

"That is very true," I turn around and find a man with black hair with gold eyeliner "You must be my new student Katniss Everdeen, I am correct?" I nod "So Gale I think you've lost the fight, as much as you love One Direction," he laughs

"That's Cinna," whispers Clove "He's the best teacher ever," I nod taking it in "You must have a good taste in music," she smiles "Especially to know that much about a song,"

"It's relatable," I say awkwardly, she nods as Cinna claps his hands together

"So Miss Everdeen, do you mind giving us a taste of your musical talents?" he asks

"No, I don't have any," I say scoffing at his words

"That's not what I have heard," he says, how would he know? "I have read from your file about your music lessons, they say that throughout high school you marvelled them with your talent," he looks up from the paper and raises an eyebrow

"Well they're wrong," I say

"I went to one of your school performances when you were in junior year Miss Everdeen; I know you're lying," the room goes cold and I put on my emotional mask, I need to hide everything. No one will see.

"And if you've read my file properly you would understand why," I say harshly, he gulps "I'll talk to you in a minute," he says addressing me privately, I roll my eyes "Everyone else, listen to some music, meaningful music!" everyone goes through their bags to get iPods and phones, Clove sends me a sympathetic look and I shrug. "Miss Everdeen, can we talk outside, please," he says it and it isn't a question.

I follow the dark skinned man out the room and into the corridor.

"So you're going to lecture your friends about musical choices when you won't show them what you can do?"

"I'm sure you were also informed that I was bullied,"

"Yes, but that-" I cut him off

"They used it against me," I say "I literally have the social skills of a slug now because of it,"

"Yet you made friends with Clove, Gale, Cato and Peeta?"

"I wouldn't exactly calls us friends, I only just met them today," I say

"So would you sing for me privately?"

"No," I say "I haven't sung since…" I gulp

"I will let you off this time but I do need to see some practical skills, do you play an instrument?" I immediately think of my dad's guitar hidden in the back of my closet

"No," I say

"I'll give you to the end of the year to sing one song to the class, don't and you won't be able to graduate, are we clear?"

"Yes," I say hesitantly

"Go back and join your friends," he says walking back into the classroom, I follow and take my seat back next to Clove.

"What happened?" asks Peeta

"I have to sing something by the end of the year, else I won't graduate,"

"Then just sing something," says Gale

"No," I say, Cato seems to look me over as if trying to figure me out "Just no," I say putting in my headphones and listening to some music. Clove looks at my phone screen as it starts to play This is How I Disappear by My Chemical Romance, she grabs a headphone and shoves it in her ear.

She snatches the phone from my hands and gets stuck when it comes up with needing a passcode. She raises her eyebrow to me with this cute little chipmunk face that I can't say no to, like Prim, and I chuckle.

"7746," I tell her

"Random?" she ask typing it in

"No, it's my little sister's name, Prim, 7746,"

"Oh I get it," then she looks at the screen background "Is that her?"

"Yeah," I say with a small smile, it almost brings tears to my eyes. Almost.

"She's adorable,"

"Yeah," I say awkwardly not bothering to correct her to was. She goes to contacts and types in her number and takes a photo of herself for the photo contact. Then she starts taking pictures of the others, one with Cato giving Clove the bird…

Then she doesn't something that I don't expect.

"Come on," she smiles nudging me into the camera, she takes a picture of me and her and I feel kinda chuffed.

"Thanks," I say

"Why?" she asks it's just a picture

"The last time someone took my picture was when I was getting changed for gym, I didn't know and they wrote the word sket all over it in a big red writing and send it to the whole school," I say quietly

"So you didn't just move her because of your mom's new job?" she asks

"No," I say quietly

"Then everybody at your old school was definitely a twat," she says and oddly it reassures me

"Thanks Clove,"

"You're not a sket, Katniss," she says and I give her one of my rare smiles.

She gets the others to put their number's into my phone much against the amount of times I say that 'It's fine, they don't have to'. Soon music is over and I put my phone in my bag and walk out the music classroom and to math with Peeta.

Maybe I did make some friends today.

Prim would be proud.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, not many reviews for chapter three but a lot of new follow... please can I have a few more reviews, heck I didn't even choose a winner this time... even if it's one word please review!

This chapter is 1,682 words, which is 4 and a 1/4 a4 pages.

- Court

* * *

Chapter Four

I give Gale a ride to my house on my motorbike, he even wanted me to take a picture of him with it on my phone to upload to Facebook for him later, I agreed and he posed by my bike then he surprised me like Clove and he took a selfie of us together. I roll my eyes and snatch my phone from his fingertips before we go inside.

We order a pizza and get some cans of Coca-Cola from the fridge, my mom had done most of the packing the other night. Gale and I sit watching a movie whilst talking.

"So how was your first day of classes?" he asks eating a slice of pizza

"Pretty good, considering I made some friends," I say eating my slice

"It's not that big a deal, anybody in the right mind would be your friend, in fact I'm sure that the next time you go on Facebook, everyone will have sent you a friend request!" he says happily

"Not everybody,"

"Yes everybody! They think you're badass! And most of the guys think you're hot," I roll my eyes

"Barely anybody liked me from my last school,"

"How come?"

"Doesn't matter,"

"Oh come on, you cannot just say that! Please!" he begs "It might help with the project," he says fluttering his eyelashes

"Let's just say I didn't have many friends back in the Seam," I say and he nods taking that as an answer.

Soon the movie ends and Gale tells me to upload it the photos to Facebook for him, the ones from the music lesson too. I agree and Gale gives me a quick hug before leaving, he walks home even thought I offered to drive him there.

I go upstairs to my room after cleaning all the rubbish away, I lie on my bed and go onto my phone and onto an app that I hadn't touched for three months.

I ignore the notifications and messages knowing that they're all bad. I look at my friends list.

**0 friends**

I look to my friend requests and find that I have hundreds; well this school is pretty big. I open the requests and find that the most recent are Clove Fuhrman, Cato Ludwig, Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne. I accept them and the other hundreds, maybe this year wouldn't be so bad after all.

After accepting them as my friends I get a message from Gale.

**Upload the photos! All of them! Especially with the bike, my brother will not believe me! Kidding, but I do really want the one of u & me :)**

I do as ordered and upload the photos. I get a message from Clove.

**U really need 2 update ur profile picture! :) And make the one of me + you ur cover photo!**

I smile at the screen. I change my profile picture to the one that Clove took of me in the music room and change the cover photo to the one of me and her as ordered.

Clove likes both straight away, once again I smile at the screen and then Gale likes all the photos from today, followed by Clove liking the rest commenting on her 'amazing photography skills', Peeta follows liking them all leaving Cato to do it last.

Then someone comments on the photo of me and Gale.

**I see you're whoring around already Everdeen.**

From someone called Amber Blunt, I remember she had a reputation for being a slut they used to call her Amber Blunt with the over-used cunt. I smirk at the nickname before my thought direct me back to the screen, there are more comments and several people liked her comment.

**Funny, we all thought you'd killed yourself. Finally.**

**Such a whore.**

**Kill yourself, slut.**

**Did another attempt fail, Everdeen?**

**Did you want to see daddy in heaven? But it wouldn't work cause you're going to hell for all the whoring around you've done.**

**Bitch.**

**Loser.**

**Skank.**

**Sket.**

**Go die.**

I throw my phone across the room and bury my face in my pillow. No tears fall.

"Katniss, I'm home," shouts my mom from downstairs. Soon I hear her hop up the stairs and she pokes her head around the door "Have you eaten?"

"Yeah, I got a pizza," I say not looking at her

"How was your first day of school?"

"Good," I say giving a famous Katniss Everdeen half-truth, school was good, just Facebook wasn't.

"I'm glad, try and get some sleep," she says closing the door gently behind her. If she ever knew I'd be sent back to a guidance counsellor, the whole school probably thinks I'm a freak now. They probably believe those comments from Amber Blunt and the others.

All I can think now is fuck my life.

I wake up not remembering that I had fallen asleep. I look at my clock, it's 7 am. I slip out of bed and have a shower, I blow dry my hair and braid it then I change into some black skinny jeans, a Pierce the Veil, Collide with the Sky album t-shirt and my converse.

I grab my bag and go downstairs listening to music. I'd gotten more comments; I got messages and posts on my wall. I ignored it and closed the app. I grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and began eating it when my mother came downstairs.

"Morning," she smiled, she's a little perky this morning, I nod in answer. She must see my headphones as she goes to make herself some toast. "I'll be home by five tonight, so we can have dinner together," she says with a small smile

"Knock yourself out," I say sarcastically, I check the clock on my phone and it reads 8 am. "I better go," I say picking my helmet off the counter where I left it last night.

I exit the front door and get on my bike and drive to school. My mind is elsewhere. What if everyone hates me? What if no one wants to be my friend anymore? What if everyone thinks that Amber Blunt is right?

All eyes are on me when I enter the parking lot, even the freshman. I hear them whisper as I take off my helmet and get off my bike. I ignore them even though the words that want to fight back at fighting to get out.

Ignoring the looks and the whispers I walk to my locker and spin in the combo. I shove my helmet in my locker and look at my timetable.

"Biology, History and free period," says Clove peering over my shoulder, I get out the appropriate books and shove them in my bag "You ok?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" I ask giving her a chance to ignore the subject

"Don't flip me off Katniss, I saw them posts on Facebook last night, this Amber Blunt is just an idiot,"

"At my last school they would call her Amber Blunt with the over-used cunt,"

"I like that, mind if I use it?" she smirks

"Go ahead," I say closing my locker "I bet everyone thinks I'm a slut and a whore and completely insane,"

"No they don't, they just want to know whether it's true,"

"Well it's not," I say

"Give me your phone," she says

"What? Why?" I ask with it in my hands

"Blocking and reporting," she says tapping in my passcode "Oh and dare I say that that photo of you and Gale was cute, but not as cute as ours,"

"Cute?" I ask raising an eyebrow

"Yeah, you two could be a couple," she says walking down the hallway next to me on the way to biology, she's still on my phone

"No, that's weird and plus wouldn't want to prove Amber the cunt Blunt right if I go out with someone after two days,"

"True but just for the record you were the one that mentioned going out with him," she smirks looking up from my phone

"Who mentioned what?" I turn and see Gale

"Nothing," smirks Clove looking at me, I give her my best scowl

"So what's up my biology bitches?"

"Say that again and you'll never be able to have kids," growls Clove as we take our seats in the lab, I chuckle as Gale takes on a pained expression. Gale slides into the seat next to mine.

"Don't listen to em' they're just jealous," he whispers

"Jealous of what?" says Clove still on my phone

"Katniss being next to someone as incredibly hot as me," he says seductively, I slap his arm lightly

"You wish," she mutters

"I heard that!" he shouts in a high pitch

"You were supposed to," I say for Clove who gives me a high five whilst still looking at my phone

"What's she doing?" asks Gale gesturing to my phone

"Ridding Facebook of twats," say Clove and Gale looks utterly confused

"She's reporting and blocking the people that said stuff on my profile last night," I explain

"Ah," says Gale

"Holy shit Katniss!" shouts Clove staring at my phone just as Beetee, our biology teacher, walks in

"Clove, what is all the swearing about?" he asks with his hands on his hips

"Nothing, sir," she says quietly

"And could you please stay off your phone until you have finished the questions for today's lessons," he scolds she slips my phone across the table to me and I put it in the pocket of my bag.

Beetee directs the class to answer the questions on page whatever and leaves us to get on with our work. Clove passes a note to me and Gale gives us both a confused look. I unfold the paper and read the note.

**_Meet me by ur locker during free  
- Clo_**

I nod and slip the piece of paper into my textbook before getting on with the questions.

What was so wrong with my phone that she had to shout that? And why was it such a big deal that we need to talk about it?


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys, I haven't actually decided whether I like this chapter so reviews would be absolutely awesome, hopefully more than ten? guests are totally welcome, I've been working on this all day and wracking my brains for what was going to happen because I don't write plans like normal writers, i just write anything as it comes. So my best reviewer goes to **aarcher3** thanks for the review! This chapter is 1,588 words!

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Five

I leave biology still thinking about the note that Clove tossed me, I run into Cato in the hallway.

"Hey Cato, do you know where room 106 is?"

"On my way there now, we can walk together," he says with a small smile

"Thanks," I say walking beside him

"Just for the record, it don't think you're a whore or any of the stuff they said on Facebook last night,"

"Thanks," I sigh just wanting the memories of last night to disappear

"I'm not just saying it to make you feel better, I really don't think that you are-" I cut him off

"It's fine, Clove pretty unleashed the reign of fury on my phone this morning or as she put it- ridding Facebook of twats,"

"Yeah… she can get overly aggressive about some things," he chuckles steering me into a classroom, we take a seat at the back next to each other. His phone dings and he casually slips it out his phone and hides it under the table from our History teacher, Miss Coin. He types something back then slips his phone back in his pocket before looking up and making sure that no one is watching. "Clove told me to tell you not to be late?" he says with a raised eyebrow

"Yeah, she shouted something not so great when she was looking at my phone in biology when the teacher walked in… she wants to meet me at my locker during my free period,"

"Do you think it has anything to do with Facebook?"

"I'm almost certain, she was on the app before she said it so-" I'm cut off by Miss Coin

"Miss Everdeen and Mr Ludwig could you please get on with the questions," she says sternly. I bite my lip and look at Cato who's wearing a smirk and we get on with our work even though my mind was elsewhere.

The bell rings.

"I've got a free period but seeing as Clove wants you I better go find Peeta and Gale,"

"Ok," I smile

"See you at lunch," he says before leaving the classroom, I follow him out the classroom but take a right to go to my locker. I put away my books and pull out the ones for my next two lessons and jump when I find Clove standing next to me.

"Sorry," she apologises, I close my locker calmly.

"What did you want?" I ask

"Not here, let's go out on the quad," she says grabbing my by the wrist out the building and onto the quad. She sits under a tree and I follow suit, sitting cross-legged on the grass "Did you happen to see the post by Gale in response to the comments?"

"No? What are you going on about?" I ask

"Go on Gale's profile!" I follow orders and get my phone out my bag, I go on the Facebook app and see that Clove has blocked and reported everything and anything that has came in; I go to Gale's profile as directed and stop, unsure of what to do next. "Just listen," she says snatching the phone out my hands, she scrolls through his profile and clicks something before reciting what it says. "I don't get it, Katniss is an amazing girl yet some idiots think that it's cool to hate on her, telling her to die, what's with that? The picture that _I_ took of us together isn't her 'whoring' around, she's my friend and I'm glad she is," she smirks, talking in a low voice pretending to be Gale.

"So? He was sticking up for me!" I smile

"Katniss is an _amazing_ girl!" she says pretending to be Gale again

"He's just being nice!" I argue

"Maybe he wants some _Katniss lovin'!"_ she shouts

"Who wants some Katniss lovin'?" asks Gale with Peeta and Cato sitting down under the tree with us

"No one," says Clove and I together, Clove shoves my phone back in my hand

"Okay…" says Peeta with a mischievous smile

"That wasn't it though," says Clove

"Wasn't it?" I ask

"Nope," she says popping the p

"Why what's happened?" asks Peeta

"There was a picture?" says Clove biting her lip

"A picture?" I gulp, feeling knots tying in my stomach "What kinda of picture?"

"The bad kind," says Cato reluctantly, Clove does something on her phone and hands it to me. I stare at the screen, there's a picture of my sister and the photo is captioned 'Katniss' dead sister. Katniss is a murderer.' Across the picture of Prim there is the word stupid in big red writing, I stare at the screen.

Clove puts her phone away.

"I-I-" I can't get anything out "I have to go," I say bolting up, grabbing my bag and running in the direction of the girls' bathroom. I hide in one of the stalls. I pull my legs up and tuck them under my chin. I drop my bag on the floor and hide my face in my jeans. Steady breaths. In. Out. In. Out. Breathe Katniss. Just breathe.

I can't believe someone would deface Prim like that. I didn't murder her. It was the accident.

The lights in the bathroom flicker and suddenly I'm not in the bathroom anymore.

_"The movie was sooo good!" shouts Prim, everyone laughs at Prim. She's sitting behind dad whilst I'm sitting behind mom. Dad's driving and he hasn't stopped smiling since Prim practically skipped out of the cinema._

_"I told you you'd like it!" I say_

_"But Katniss you gotta admit that Zac Efron played Zinc well!" says my mother from the front "I didn't know he could act!"_

_"I liked Penny," says Prim_

_"What did you think, Dad?" I ask_

_"It was good," he says and then he turns slightly to look at me "Good choice hunny," he says_

_"JOHN, LOOK OUT!" screeches my mother, the flashlights of another car flash across us then everything goes black._

_I wake up, I'm covered in blood and so is Prim. I hear dripping. Drip. Drip. Drip. The petrol, if it gets to the engine then… it'll explode…_

_"Katniss?" my mother says unhooking herself from the seatbelt "We have to get out,"_

_"Prim," I say unhooking myself from my seatbelt and fumbling in the darkness to find Prim's_

_"Katniss we have to get out now!" pleads my mother_

_"Get Prim and Dad," I scream "We need to get them out!" she grabs my waist and hoists me out as I desperately cling to Prim to get her out._

_"Let go!" I shout "Prim!" I shout louder, my screams are cut off when the car explodes in a fiery ball. My vision goes with it and I'm encased in darkness again…_

I open my eyes, I'm shaking badly, the light doesn't flicker anymore but I'm still shaking.

It was all my fault. All my fault.

"Katniss?" I hear a voice I remove my feet from the toilet and flush the toilet in an attempt for them to think I'm ok. I grab my bag and exit the stall. Clove stands out there and I go to wash my hands as if nothing happened. "Katniss," I ignore her and dry my hands with the paper towels "Katniss, you're shaking," she says grabbing my hands to steady me.

"I-I'm ok, really," I say

"Well I don't believe that one bit," she says "The bell for lunch went five minutes ago,"

"Oh, I didn't hear it go," I say distracted

"The person that put that up was stupid,"

"But they were right!" I say rather loudly

"You didn't murder your sister!"

"I could have saved her Clove! I could have saved her!" she pulls me into a hug and I break down in her small, skinny arms and I've only known her two days. "Do you know why I always wear a jacket?" I ask

"No, why?" she asks as I try to compose myself

"Burn scars, there was a car crash, my mom, my dad and Prim were in the car, we were leaving a movie that I wanted to see. The petrol was dripping onto the engine, if my mom hadn't of pulled me out of there I could've saved Prim,"

"Or died trying," says Clove giving me a hug "I know it's only been two days but Katniss Everdeen you are definitely one of the best people I know and it wasn't your fault that they died the way they did, I'm glad you're here,"

"Thanks Clove," I say in more of a whisper hugging her back

"You should come see us practice," she smiles picking her bag off the floor and walking towards the door

"Practice?" I ask following her

"Yeah we're in a band, Cato's the electric guitar god, Gale plays bass like a badman, Peeta's the perfect pianist and I'm the diva drummer,"

"Drums?" I ask raising my eyebrow as she hangs on the door

"I have a raging fire burning inside me," she says happily

"We all do," I say as she swings the door open. Cato, Peeta and Gale are waiting outside.

"You ok?" asks Peeta, I nod

"I didn't know that you play piano," I smirk

"It's a gift!" says Gale giving me a one armed hug

"It's a gift and a curse," says Peeta

"Yeah cause the girls that think you're so hot for playing piano is a downer," says Cato, I laugh

"Some of them are real sluts!" argues Peeta

"Come on," says Clove "Let's eat some lunch."


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews but maybe I could have a few more? Best reviewer for chapter five goes to **mum2shane** thanks for the review :) Anyways this chapter is shorter than most but i wanted to live it with a question... it's 1,127 words, but I hope you like it, update coming up tomorrow so don't worry!

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Six

We sat around the lunch table and everyone was watching us.

"Ignore them," whispers Peeta

"Screw the whispering," said Cato popping a green grape into his mouth

"You guys better be ok with it but I invited Katniss to our band practice later," says Clove tucking into her sandwich

"That's cool," says Gale "We practice in my garage,"

"Which means you can follow my truck," says Cato "I give this guys a ride home every day,"

"I could take someone on my bike, I've got a spare helmet in-" but I'm cut off

"Taken!" shouts Gale putting his hand on my shoulder, we laugh

"Two days and we're already fighting to get a ride on your bike," laughs Peeta

"Which is some pretty cool shit," says Gale eating a carrot stick and I laugh and take a bite of my apple

"Alright, Gale can direct you," says Clove

"Meet me by my bike at the end of the day," I say and Gale nods enthusiastically.

* * *

Later Gale directs me to his house and I park just outside, Cato pulls up in his truck and Clove and Peeta hop out followed by Cato.

Gale sticks his head in the door to his house and yells that he's practicing to his mom and then he opens the garage revealing, a set of drums, a guitar, a bass and a keyboard.

I smile and flop onto the beanbag and set my guitar helmet down next to me.

Clove takes her place at the drums, Peeta at the keyboard, Gale at the bass and Cato at the electric guitar. They start playing and it sounds pretty awesome.

They finish and I clap.

"One problem," I say "It isn't a song without lyrics,"

"No of us are really good singers," says Cato tuning his guitar slightly

"Cinna said that you sing," says Peeta

"Sung," I correct

"He said you were good," says Cato looking up from his guitar

"Doesn't mean anything," I say

"Come on!" pleads Clove "For our end of year we could all do it together, then you don't have to do it alone!"

"I don't know…" I say "I haven't sung since…"

"Wait a minute!" says Clove with a smirk

"What?" I screech

"You have recordings on your phone in a music playlist of you and your dad singing!" she says bolting forward and grabbing my phone

"Don't play it," I say "Seriously Clove,"

"Fine, sing," she says arms folded

"God you're so stubborn," I say

"Not as stubborn as you," she says pulling me up from the beanbag. Gale grabs a microphone and hands it to me. "Come on, we'll back you up!" she says pulling me up to the stage area, everyone else runs to their spaces.

_To un-explain the unforgivable  
Drain all the blood and give the kids a show  
By streetlight this dark night, a sance down below  
Theres things that I have done you never should ever know!_

_And without you is how I disappear  
And live my life alone forever now  
And without you is how I disappear  
And live my life alone forever now_

_Who walks among the famous living dead  
Drowns all the boys and girls inside your bed  
And if you could talk to me, tell me if it's so  
That all the good girls go to heaven  
Well, heaven knows_

_That without you is how I disappear  
And live my life alone forever now  
And without you is how I disappear  
And live my life alone forever now_

_Can you hear me cry out to you?  
Words I thought I'd choke on, figure out  
I'm really not so with you anymore I'm just a ghost  
So I can't hurt you anymore, so I can't hurt you anymore!_

_And now, you wanna see how far down I can sink?  
Let me go,_

_So you can  
Well now, so you can  
I'm so far away from you  
Well now, so you can_

_And without you is how I disappear  
And without you is how I disappear  
Whoa whoa  
Whoa whoa  
Forever  
Forever now!_

"Now tell us that you don't sing," says Cato smiling

"That's it!" shouts Peeta, we all turn to face him "Gale, Clove, Cato, I think we've found our lead singer," he smiles

"No, no, nope, not doing it," I protest

"We need a lead singer and you're perfect!" shouts Clove, I shake my head

"Please Katniss!" begs Gale "You can't just do that and not be our lead singer!"

"Please Katniss," says Cato

"Fine, but only so I graduate," then Clove shouts at the top of her lungs

"Hallelujah!"

* * *

One week later, in the cafeteria...

* * *

"Oh my gosh you guys!" shouts Clove running into the cafeteria, everyone turns to look. "What are you looking at?" everyone turns away and Clove sits down at our table.

"What's up Clove?" asks Cato

"I signed us up to the valentine's bash!"

"What!" the rest of us shout at the same time

"I said-"

"We know what you said!" says Gale

"But we don't even have a band name!" says Cato

"Sure we do," smiles Clove

"So you named the band without us?" asks Peeta

"Nope," says Clove popping the p "I just wrote my name down,"

"Clove!" shouts Gale, everyone turns and looks "Sorry," he says shyly waving

"Calm ya tits, Gale," says Clove "Let's just name it now,"

"How about… Mockingjay, it's the symbol of rebellion?" I ask

"It's original, I like it," says Peeta

"Me too," says Cato

"That makes three," says Gale

"So Mockingjay it is!" says Clove smiling

"So Katniss do you-" Peeta's cut off by the sound of the bell

"I gotta go; Peeta, but I'll see you later?"

"Yeah," he says rubbing his neck and I leave the lunch table.

* * *

At band practice...

* * *

"From the top-" I cut Clove off

"Clove, we're all tired and hungry, can we order pizza now? Please?" I ask fluttering my eyelashes

"Fine,"

We order the pizza and soon it arrives, we sit eating pizza and talking.

"So Katniss, what I was saying earlier, was that I was wondering-" Peeta's cut off again by my phone ringing

"What?" I ask

"Don't what me young lady, you know we're having a dinner tonight and a few of my work colleagues are coming in ten minutes so get your butt over here,"

"Fine, I'm coming," I say hanging up, Clove raises an eyebrow "Wanted at home," I say grabbing my helmet "See you guys tomorrow!"

I say running out of Gale's garage and getting on my bike and driving home. I drive my bike into the garage and jump off my bike. I open the front door and shake off my helmet. There is a guy in a business suit with a tall lanky boy around my age.

"Er… hi mom?"


	7. Chapter 7

Hey guys, I got an extra long chapter for ya! It's got 2,262 words which is around 8 A4 pages. Thanks for all the reviews, I got a pretty good response, the best reviewer goes to **Anthonyy**, thanks for reviewing! Sorry I didn't update yesterday, I was really busy :L but here's ya chapter anyways! For the last chapter the song was **This is How I Disappear by My Chemical Romance** for those that wanted to know and there's a change of POV in this chapter, I've gone six chapter's without one, so deal with it :) Enjoy :)

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Seven

"Katniss, this is Mark Quaid," he's a work colleague of mine she says directing me to the older man "And this is his son Marvel, I think you're in the same year at school,"

"Cool," I say awkwardly putting my helmet on the kitchen counter "I'm going to put my bag in my room," I say walking upstairs

"Need any help?" asks Marvel slyly

"No," I say now running up them. I throw my bag on the floor and call Clove.

"Hell-" I cut her off

"What do you know about Marvel Quaid," I whisper into the phone

"Why?"

"He's at my house for dinner; his dad is my mom's _work buddy_,"

"Ew?"

"Just tell me what you know!" I hiss

"He's a bit of a player, but I don't get why, he's not even that good looking,"

"Save me," I mutter

"Want me to come over?"

"I do but my mom would kill me,"

"Tell me what happens tomorrow," she says as I hang up. I shove my phone in my pocket and slowly walk down the stairs.

"That took a while," says Marvel

"Friend called me and asked about our English project," I lie

"Ok," he says sitting on the sofa

"Dinner will be ten minutes," calls my mother

"Great," I mutter sarcastically

"I bet you ten dollars that they're going to go on a date by the end of next week," says Marvel in a hushed tone as the adults talk

"I'm not going against that," I say whipping out my phone and finding that I have a text from Gale.

**Sup  
-Gale**

**Hey :)  
-Katniss**

I take a drink of the Coca-Cola my mother has handed Marvel and I

**I think Peeta wants to ask you out ;)  
-G**

I choke on the Coca-Cola

"You ok?" asks Marvel

"Yeah, fine," I say shooing him

**WHAT? NO! That's just… weird! Why would he? How do u no?  
-K**

**Katniss I was wondering whether… What I said earlier I wanted to know if…  
-G**

**GOD.  
-K**

"Who ya texting?" asks Marvel

"My friend, Gale," I say

"Oh I know Gale,"

"Right," I say as my phone dings signally that I have a new text

**Plus, you're pretty and like all the guys on the soccer team have been talkin bout u!  
-G**

**They're not, that's weird.  
-K**

**Blieve me Katniss, they're tlkin bout u! U're attractive & the soccer team know it! And Peeta obvs nos it! You're a catch!  
-G**

**Whateva u say.  
-K**

I shove my phone in my pocket and Marvel smiles, I roll my eyes.

"So how's school?" he asks lamely, I raise an eyebrow "Ok, so that was a pretty crappy attempt at making conversation,"

"Ya think," I say and we laugh "But school's fine, mostly I just hang out with my friends,"

"Apparently there's this band playing at the Valentine's bash in a couple weeks, Mockingbird or something,"

"Mockingjay," I correct

"So you know who's in it?"

"Well there's Gale, Clove, Peeta, Cato and… me,"

"You play an instrument?"

"No," I say ignoring the guitar. I mentally kick that idea out my brain and into an imaginary dustbin "I sing,"

"Oh, so you're the girl that wouldn't sing for Cinna?"

"How do you know this?" I ask

"Practically the whole school knows,"

"Damn it," I mutter

"So why?" he asks "Why didn't you sing for Cinna? He's like one of the nicest teachers ever and you didn't sing for him?"

"No, before Clove forced me to sing in Gale's garage at their band practice, I hadn't sung since my dad died and I wasn't going to. Cinna gave me until the end of the year to sing so that I can graduate and Clove thinks that it would help if I did it with my friends,"

"Why don't you invite him to the Valentine's bash," he rethinks over his words "That sounds weird,"

"I know, ew much?"

"Not as a date or anything just to watch the band perform so you can graduate,"

"No, no way, it's bad enough that I'll have to sing in front of all those people and to make it even more pressuring… no, no way," Marvel shrugs at my reply

"Dinner," calls my mother, Marvel and I walk into the kitchen, this is gonna be awkward. I grab my and Marvel's plates

"We'll eat in my room, to avoid…. Awkwardness," I say passing Marvel his plate

"Fine, just don't make a mess," she calls after us as we run upstairs.

We sit on the floor and pick apart our chicken salad.

"Think how awkward that would have been if we had to sit downstairs with them," says Marvel

"And thanks to my generosity we can avoid it and eat in here," I say shoving cucumber in my mouth

"Nice room," he compliments

"Thanks,"

"I have a couple of these posters in my room, but I'm more into soccer so there are a few soccer posters as well,"

"That's just wrong," I say eating some chicken

"Come on you gotta love Ronaldo!"

The next morning I park my bike and remove my helmet before getting off. Suddenly Marvel appears from nowhere.

"My dad was talking about your mom all night," he says

"Same here," I say "It was annoying,"

"God, what if they date?" he says horrified

"I'll try not to picture that," I say

"You heading to your locker?"

"Yeah," I smile, he slings his arm over my shoulder and we awkwardly walk to my locker. I grab my books as Marvel leans his back on the lockers.

"Hey Katniss-" says Clove stopping dead in her tracks "And Marvel…"

"Hey," I say and Marvel nods hello

"Band practice tonight seeing as yesterday was cut short," says Clove

"Sorry about that," says Marvel

"Hey… guys…" says Gale "Hey Catnip, Peeta's been wanting to talk to ya," he says with a smirk

"I hate you," I say closing my locker

"Love you too," he smiles

"Hey I have to head to chem, but I'll talk to ya later Katniss," says Marvel

"Bye," I say as he walks off

"What was all that about?" ask Gale and Clove at the same time

"People were whispering this morning, saying that you two were going out, I wasn't going to believe it but-" I cut Clove off

"We're not going out, my mom and his dad however… my mom won't stop talking about his dad and vice versa,"

"Oh my god, you could be step-siblings!" says Clove

"I know and it's weird,"

"Weird how?" asks Gale "Do you like him or something?"

"No, I met him last night, god no," I say shaking those (disgusting) thoughts from my mind "No it's just weird how my mom is suddenly over my dad, when we moved here she was like a ghost, she was there but she wasn't. I guess I'm just creeped out by the fact that someone else would be my dad,"

"I'm sure that no one could ever replace your dad," says Clove

"Katniss!" says Peeta running in, the bell rings "Do you wanna walk to math together?"

"Do you even need to ask?" I say "See you guys later," Peeta and I walk to math and take our seats before the teacher sets us some work

"So you and Marvel, huh?" asks Peeta, I look up from my math book "I just didn't think he'd be your type, he's known for being a bit of a player,"

"Ew, no! I'm not going out with him!" I say "My mom invited 'her work colleague' over and his son, but they seem pretty close if you know what I mean,"

"So you and Marvel aren't together?"

"No," I chuckle

"Thank god," he says quietly and then I remember what Gale told me last night, was I really that obtuse not to notice? He's been trying to get my attention all week

"Anyway, I wouldn't want to be that whore, that just started dating someone she barely knew and I wouldn't want to give you guys a hard time, cause you're my _friends_ and that's kinda hard to come by for me,"

"Yeah, course we're friends," he repeats, that wasn't too harsh was it? I mean I could have paraded around on the quad singing that I don't like Peeta Mellark, we're just friends, that's harsh. But I wasn't too harsh was I?

* * *

Next I have gym and it's a sub lesson so we basically just play catch with some bright orange basketballs, I talk to Cato and Clove.

"That wasn't too harsh was it?" I ask throwing the ball to Clove

"I mean you didn't really tell him that you knew he liked you, even as blatantly obvious as it is," she says and throws the ball to Cato

"And I mean it's not like you shouted to the whole class that you were friend zoning Peeta," says Cato throwing the ball to me

"I wish my mother would do that about _Mark_," I mutter throwing the ball to Cato

"Who's Mark?"

"Marvel's dad," answer Clove

"Which pretty much means that I could have a step-brother," I say

"So you don't like Mark?" he asks

"Well I haven't really talked to him and I don't want to, you know, it's kinda weird if you tell a guy not to get with your mother,"

"Ew," says Clove "Bad choice of words,"

"I guess the main reason is that I just don't want someone to think that they're my dad and I can't exactly tell him that either cause that would be awkward,"

"You're telling me," says Clove

"And now I've got freaking Marvel following me everywhere and Peeta getting real protective over it,"

"He's not that protective," says Cato and Clove drops the ball "After you left, leaving me, Gale and Peeta all Peeta would talk about is how great Katniss is, no offence Kat but it made me want to die,"

"And the first few words I got out of him this morning were, so you and Marvel, huh? I didn't think he was your type," I say

"Ok so he's protective, but it means he likes you," argues Cato

"But I don't like him!" I say "He's a friend and I'd rather have friends than enemies,"

"CLASS DISMISSED!" shouts the teacher and we get changed to head to lunch. Leaving the changing rooms I put in my head phones and listen to me and my dad singing deep in the meadow, we're both playing our guitars in this one. He wrote this song and I find it just beautiful.

Clove, Cato and I grab some lunch and sit at our usual table. Clove starts talking about the Valentine's bash.

* * *

CLOVE'S POV

* * *

"Ok, so we need to know what to play," I say "Something that people can rock out to,"

"And slow dance to," says Peeta

"And then rock some more," says Cato

"It needs to be for everyone," says Gale "Not just our amazing music taste,"

"What do you think Katniss?" she takes out a headphone

"Huh?" she asks

"We were talkin about songs for the Valentine's bash," says Peeta filling her in

"Oh," she says, I peer down at her phone, she was listening to music but the album artwork isn't of the usual My Chemical Romance, Sleeping with Sirens or Pierce the Veil, it's of a man with dark brown hair and grey eyes, he's holding a guitar and smiling at the camera.

"What are you listening to?" I ask

"Nothing, really," she says dismissing it

"It's not nothing, it's obviously good!" I say grabbing a headphone, I listen and I hear the most beautiful thing I have ever heard.

It's a man's voice and then there's a higher voice, a girl's, a young girl's, there are two guitars. I look at the info on the song displayed.

_Deep in the Meadow  
John Everdeen feat. Katniss Everdeen_

"It's you and your dad?" I ask, she nods slightly "Katniss this is amazing, I didn't know you play guitar!"

"I don't,"

"You were good," I say and I notice that everyone on the table are listening into the conversation

"Yeah but he was amazing," she says staring at the screen with a withdrawn look

"We have to use this," I say

"It's too slow for anyone to dance to," she says

"Not if we mix it up a bit, I'm sure we can keep the guitar playing, we can add the bass, a beat with the drum and add some sort of melody with piano," I suggest, she stays quiet, still listening to the music which is almost whispering into her ear the words-

_Here is the place that I love you._

"Please Katniss, this is beautiful, isn't this what your dad would have wanted? You to be heard?"

"I-I guess," she stutters

"Will you let me show them?"

"Sure," she says real quietly. I unplug the headphones and turn it up slightly so that only our table can hear it.

They listen and the minutes pass that the song plays, our whole table is silent as the rest of the cafeteria carry on, no one eats, they just listen.

The song finishes and the look up from the phone.

"That was just-"starts Peeta but Cato cuts him off

"Beautiful. Katniss, we need to use this and I think for whatever reason you need to dig that guitar out from its hiding place and use it. Make him proud; don't hide in the shadows,"

And then I see something, something I haven't seen in Katniss before, the true meaning of Mockingjay.

A spark.

A spark that could light up a whole new kind of rebellion.


	8. Chapter 8

Hey guys, sorry it took so long for this chapter, it took a lot of attempts before I felt that it was good to put up, there's a lot of Cato, Katniss action going on in this chapter, it's a long one it's 2,281 words long so for all the extra work I put into this, could I get over ten reviews please? Oh and the last chapter had to go to **LilyZ**that review was awesome, thank you and thanks to anyone else who reviewed and yes I am aware that I did the Valley Song twice, so that Cato can get an awesome guitar solo in there and that Gale and Katniss can do some headbanging... enjoy :)

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Eight

"Breathe, Katniss," Cato whispers in my ear, his warm breath tickles the back of my neck, we're onstage and I'm just frozen, they're staring, the crowd, but I can't do anything, I'm just frozen. I let go of the breath that I didn't know I was holding. I grip tighter to the neck of the guitar I'm holding, his guitar.

I should bring you up to speed it all began at four pm when there was a surprise knock at my front door…

* * *

There's a knock at the front door, I turn to look at the clock, and it's four pm. I open the door to find Clove, with a big bag; I'm just about to question her when she cuts me off.

"Yeah, yeah, I've got a bag, now take me to you room," she says shutting the door with her foot and pushing me towards the stairs. I lead her up to my room where she dumps the bag, which seems pretty heavy, on my bed.

"What are you doing here?" I ask

"Dressing you," she says "Oh and nice room," she says pulling stuff out the bag and throwing it across my bed

"I don't need you to dress me," I say

"Don't tell me, you were gonna wear jeans, a t-shirt shirt and a jacket?"

"Well, yeah but-" she cuts me off

"You can't wear that to the _Valentine's bash_, now come on, we'll get ready together," she smiles.

Clove forces me into a black skater skirt, which feels way too short and tells me to wear my Pierce the Veil Collide with the Sky t-shirt. She doesn't give me a jacket so I immediately reach for one but she rips it from my hands.

"Nah uh," she says waggling her finger "You don't need to wear a jacket,"

"But my arms, Clove!" I protest

"They're beautiful," she says throwing the jacket back in my closet and closing the door

"Bullshit," I say

"I'm not giving you a jacket," she says and I huff "Come on, let's do your hair and make-up," she smirks dragging me over to my desk. She makes me sit on the chair before she straightens my hair. Then she braids a strand of hair from the front and pulls it into a high ponytail with the rest of my hair, and then she pulls out the make-up bag. I groan.

"Oh shut up, I'm not going to put _that_ much on," with that she whips out some black liquid eyeliner which I raise my eyebrows at, she rolls her eyes and lines my upper eyelid ever so delicately with the eyeliner then she grabs mascara and applies it lightly. Next she smears bubble gum flavoured lip gloss on my lips and stands back smiling. "Go look at yourself in the mirror then come back for a photo, I want one for the album,"

"Album?" I ask

"Yeah, my Facebook album titled friends," she smiles "Now go!" she shoos "I need to get ready," I exit my room with a smirk and walk into my mother.

"Katniss-" she stops in her tracks and smiles "You look lovely," she smiles "I'm going out with Mark tonight and I know Marvel's going to the dance, so maybe you could invite, these friends of yours over and host a slumber party?"

"A slumber party? Really mom?"

"You know what I mean," she says "I'll see you later," she says kissing my cheek and hopping down the stairs in her heels. Then I notice how she is dressed. She's wearing a short red dress and killer red heels, her blonde hair is down instead of up and she's wearing make-up. Ugh, my mother's on the pull.

I walk into the bathroom and look at Clove's 'masterpiece'. I'm surprised, I still look like me, and my eyes just look bigger and more defined. I smile and look at myself, mostly my arms, they look hideous, they're covered in burn scars from when the car exploded. The skin grafts on my face worked but not on my arms…

I come out the bathroom and knock on my bedroom door, screw this, this is _my_ bedroom. I sling open the door revealing Clove pulling on a t-shirt, she's wearing jeans. That bitch.

"How come you're wearing jeans?" I ask folding my arms over my chest, feeling a little uncomfortable with my arms being so… well, bare.

"Yeah, I sit down, you don't, you should show off your legs!" she argues

"Whatever," I say closing the door "My mother just left, she's going on a date with _Mark_. Ugh,"

"So what's with them?" she asks doing her own make up as I pull on my black converse

"I don't know, I guess you could say they're dating, they've been going out a lot recently,"

"Which means that so have you and Marvel," she says closing the make-up bag and grabbing my iPhone, it's practically second nature for her to do that now

"This is practically his second home," I say

She runs over to me with my phone.

"Now pose," she says and I follow as little miss bossy boots orders, then she taps away on my phone for a couple minutes before handing it back to me. I suspiciously check my Facebook. "Don't worry, I used my account," she smiles I still go on the app. I have one notification. It's Clove, she posted the photo, it's her new profile picture, I smile and click on the photo in which I'm tagged, it's captioned.

**Gonna take the Valentine's bash by storm; get ready to have your mind blown by this gorgeous gal a.k.a Katniss Everdeen xox love her.**

**Katniss Everdeen, Cato Ludwig, Peeta Mellark and twenty three others like this**

"Thanks Clove," I smile "For the record, love you too," she smiles and I get the guitar out the closet "Time to face the world, huh?" her smile grows and she sprints downstairs as the doorbell rings, I rush after her. "What the hell?" I pant as a smiling Peeta is at the door laughing at me.

"Get in the truck, Catnip," I hear Gale shout, I roll my eyes and grab my keys before locking the door behind me.

We arrive and the gym is filled with people, we're taken backstage by someone with a clipboard, Peeta whispers in my ear as we tune up.

"You look beautiful," he says as I self-consciously try to cover my arms with anything I have, I blush slightly and go back to the guitar before I hear Peeta speak again "I like you better with a jacket though," I go to strangle the bastard but I am held back

"I think we're tuned up," says Cato looking down at me, he's holding me back quite happily, he chuckles as I try to cover my arms "Don't try to cover em' up, they make you look badass," he says letting go of me

"They make me look horrible," I say dusting myself down from his grip

"Badass," he repeats as I roll my eyes "But I never thought that I would see you in a skirt,"

"Thank Clove," I say sarcastically

"Thanks for the skirt Clove!" he shouts to Clove, she gives him an odd look before smiling and giving us a thumbs up. I roll my eyes again. "You look good, Katniss, like usual, Peeta's just a prick when he's nervous,"

"I'll try to remember that," I say and he smirks whilst shaking his head

"So how's the friend zoning going for ya?" he whispers with a cocky smile

"Somehow I don't think he got the memo,"

"No I don't think he did either," he smirks and I hear Cinna introduce us; wait who got him to come?

"Now I know there's been a lot of speculation about this one particular band," he says "But I know you will be happily surprised, as you may well be able to tell this next line was written by someone in the band- it's the beginning of a new type of rebellion and it all started with a spark, that spark will light their fire and burn the whole world down, please give it up for Mockingjay," I can practically feel Clove mouthing the words, it's so her.

We step out onto the stage, then something surprises me, it's Gale?

"Before we actually start I would like to say something," I can practically feel the whole gym roll their eyes in annoyance, there are a few groans "So you guys all have Facebook and you all added 'the biker chick' on her first only to find that Amber Blunt and some other idiots from Katniss' old school were telling her to die, telling her that she is nothing, that she is disgusting and worthless, that she killed her own family. Do you know how sick that is?" I shake my head at Gale and smile as tears prick in my eyes "In September just this year gone, Katniss lost her little sister and dad in a car accident, those scars on her arms remind her of that every day and I know about the nightmares she has when she texts me at two in the morning, so I wanted to tell you all that every single one of those jerks made Katniss beautiful, and this song was written by her dad but we mixed it up a bit and I hope you really appreciate how much this means to her, to us, cause she's like the sister I never had," he smiles at me "It's called Deep in the Meadow but it's also known to us as the Valley Song," this leaves the crowd stunned, they're staring at me and I know it. The knots in my stomach twist tighter and tighter.

Clove starts the beat, one two three four, Peeta starts the repetitive melody, five six seven eight, Gale brings in the bass, nine ten; Cato plucks the strings, eleven twelve. I'm frozen and I can't move, my part is coming. I guess that brings us up to speed...

* * *

"Breathe Katniss," Cato whispers in my ear, his warm breath tickles the back of my neck, we're onstage and I'm just frozen, they're staring, the crowd, but I can't do anything, I'm just frozen. I let go of the breath that I didn't know I was holding. I grip tighter to the neck of the guitar I'm holding, his guitar. The knots tighten in my stomach "Release it, Katniss, release it all," thirteen fourteen "Make it so meaningful that even the birds stop to listen," fifteen sixteen "And most of all do it for yourself,"

I somehow kick into action on the seventeenth beat, going full pelt with my guitar, his guitar, our guitar and I do it, even better than rehearsal, this means so much, I'm letting everything go, even my emotions, tears are streaming down my face as I sing and somehow I find my eyes meeting Cato's and they never leave him and with all my energy I sing it louder than ever before, reaching every note perfectly.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes,  
And when you awake, the sun will rise._

Here it's safe, here it's warm,  
Here the daisies guard you from harm,  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true,  
Here is the place where I love you.

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away,  
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray,  
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay,  
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away.

Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true,  
Here is the place where I love you.

Cato does his electric guitar solo and everyone loves it, I put my hand on Gale's shoulder and we rock backwards and forwards to Clove's amazing beat. The adrenaline surges through my veins.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes,  
And when you awake, the sun will rise._

Here it's safe, here it's warm,  
Here the daisies guard you from harm,  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true,  
Here is the place where I love you.

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away,  
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray,  
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay,  
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away.

Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true,  
Here is the place where I love you.

The music stops and the lights go out, into pure darkness and I collapse onto my knees and somehow in all the darkness, I understand, I know. I didn't kill them. We we're in the wrong place at the wrong time, the drunk driver really did hit him and it wasn't me. I couldn't have got Prim out, my mother saved me from dying myself. Mark will never want to replace my dad, he just wants to be happy himself and somehow that involves my mother. And most of all I don't need to hide who I am because some of the greatest people that have ever lived are my best friends and without them, I might as well be chained to Amber Blunt for the rest of my life.

Somehow, in all the darkness I found my light, it was at the end of a very dark tunnel.


	9. Chapter 9

Ok, so you're gonna partly love and hate me for this chapter, it's 1,777 words and is very dramatic *bites lip* tell me what you think of it, thanks for the real long review **LilyZ** but the best reviewer has to go to **FireIsCatching14**, but thank you to everyone else that reviewed! :)

-Court x

* * *

Chapter Nine

It's Monday, the dance was on Friday and my Facebook new feed is cluttered with statuses about the Valentine's bash and pictures from the Valentine's bash, most of which involved pictures of us performing or someone kissing someone else…

I remove my helmet and get off my bike.

"Hey, I'm Gloss," says a boy with blonde hair "You're Katniss from the band that played at the bash, right?"

"Yeah," I say hoisting my bag up a bit and almost dropping my helmet

"I was wondering if you wanted to-"

"Step away from my best friend," he turns, revealing Clove who is smirking "And if you don't mind stay away from her, I saw Glimmer looking for you, go find her,"

"Later, Katniss," he nods before running inside

"What was that all about?" I ask

"Well," she says grabbing my helmet from me so that I don't drop it, we begin to walk inside "Since our amazingly epic performance on Friday let's just say our popularity or rather, your popularity has raised through the roof,"

"It has?" I groan

"Yup," she says popping the p "You would believe me how many guys have asked me for your number, according to Peeta the guys on the soccer team seem to think that you're sexier than ever,"

"Joy," I say sarcastically as we reach my locker, I open the door and take my helmet from Clove and put it in "And Peeta?"

"Hasn't stopped talking about you according to Gale after our little slumber party," she laughs "Your pyjamas didn't help,"

"It was an oversized tee and a pair of shorts," I correct "There is nothing sexual about that,"

"I swear the duvet was a tent when I woke up in the middle of the night,"

"Ew," I say getting my books out

"Well at least we know it works," laughs Clove

"God no, go away, you'll traumatise me with that!"

"What's Clove traumatising you with?" asks Gale as he magically appears at my locker

"Peeta," explains Clove

"He hasn't shut up about you since Cato gave us a ride home on Saturday morning," he says and Clove wiggles her ring finger at me and I push her sideways

"God you're dirty," I complain

"What are you going on about?" asks Gale confused

"Let's just say someone's duvet turned into a tent during the night," says Clove

"Good to know…" says Gale disgusted

"Anyways I have to go," says Clove

"See you later," I say as she waves whilst walking backwards to her next class "How's your English essay coming along?" I ask Gale as we walk to our English class

"I haven't even started," he admits

"Me neither,"

"And they're due in next week," he complains "Can we work on them at yours? Posy is seriously killing me and Vick, god, I'm not even going to start on Vick,"

"I feel your pain," I joke as we take our seats "Sure; you can catch a ride on my bike again, if you want,"

"Yes!" he says excitedly

"Sometimes I think that you're only my friend because of my bike," I say with my hand on my heart, faking a saddened expression.

"You're such a dork!"

"You're such a boy!"

* * *

Later that day Gale and I are sat at the dining table trying to figure out what to write for our English essay.

"So when did you first start playing-" I'm cut off by the sound of the doorbell "I'll be right back," I say excusing myself from the table. I answer the door to find a very nervous looking Peeta.

"Hey Peeta, what are you doing here?" I ask slightly confused

"I'm killing myself trying to work out whether this is this right thing to do or not,"

"What's wrong-" I'm cut off as he presses him lips to mine. It lasts a couple seconds before he pulls away, I'm left absolutely stunned

"Sorry, that was the wrong thing to do. I don't- I guess- I'm sorry," he says running away. I awkwardly close the door, still stunned by Peeta's sudden _move_ and the whole weirdness of it all.

"Are you ok? Who was at the door?" asks Gale sounding worried

"It was Peeta…" I say floating to the chair

"What did he do?" he groans

"He kissed me."

* * *

"HE DID WHAT?" shout Clove and Cato as we sit at the lunch table the next day, Peeta's been ignoring me all day, I had to sit next to Gloss in math, it was terrible to say the least.

"He kissed me," I repeat, eating a French fry as if it's no big deal, I mean I'm ok with it… I think… I guess last night I was just a little shocked by it all, yeah… last night was weird… "But that's not the worst part," I explain "He's ignoring me and in math I had to sit next to Gloss," I shiver involuntarily and Cato looks like he's going to pound something... or someone…

"This is messed up," complains Clove

"No, what's messed up was that the first thing he said was 'We could make the bed rock if you know what I mean,'"

"Ew," says Gale and Clove simultaneously, Cato stands from the table and disappears from the cafeteria

"Where's he going?" I ask confused

"Wait for it," says Gale holding one finger up in a signal for me to wait

"What are you-" I say but Clove cuts me off

"Three, two, one," then there is an almighty crash, everyone in the cafeteria runs into the hall where Cato has Peeta pushed up against the lockers, seriously?

"Cato what are you doing?" I shout pushing him off Peeta "You ok?" I ask and he nods

"You're going to defend him?" he shouts

"Yes! You just pushed him up against the lockers for no reason!"

"He kissed you without your permission!" he shouts louder "Need I remind you about Gloss?"

"Yeah? And?" I shout back "It's not like I'm going to die!" Cato slams his fist into the lockers "Go cool off, Cato," I say, then I notice that everyone's watching… awkward, I grab Peeta's hand to pull him towards the nurse's office for an ice pack for the back of his head or something but no one will move. "Move," I hiss but no one moves "Move," I say louder

"Didn't you hear the girl? She said move," shouts Clove, they immediately disperse

"We'll talk to Cato," says Gale discreetly, I nod and I walk Peeta to the nurse's office.

* * *

"You sure you're ok?" I ask holding the ice pack to the back of his head

"Yeah, just a couple bruises," he shrugs

"Is Cato always like that?" I ask suddenly violently aware of his 'I like to punch stuff' attitude.

"No, only when he doesn't like what someone does something to someone he cares about, last time it was when Clove dated this guy and he didn't like him so Cato broke him nose,"

"Wow, and I thought Clove could stick up for herself,"

"She can, she just really liked him and didn't know that this guy was screwing other girls,"

"Nice to know," I say sarcastically "Sorry about Cato though, I shouldn't have told them,"

"It's fine, it's not your fault his has a temper," he says with a small smile "Anyways I'm sorry for making you sit next to that creep, Gloss, in math,"

"You're forgiven if you promise never to do that again! I swear he was undressing me with his eyes!"

"I promise," he laughs and then Gloss and Cato walk in, Cato has a split lip and split knuckles whilst Gloss has a bloody nose. I roll my eyes. "Let's head to music," says Peeta

"I couldn't agree with you more," I say staring Cato straight in the eye, we walk past them but Cato grabs my arm

"I'm sorry, I was being a jerk," he apologises

"It's not me you should be apologising to," I say flicking my arm out his grip and walking to my next class with Peeta.

We sit down in our seats in the music classroom and Clove gives me an 'I'll explain later' look, I nod to her as Cinna enters the room. He does a quick head count before eyeing me and Peeta suspiciously.

"Where's Cato?" he asks

"He got in a fight," says Clove

"Again?"

"Yes, seems Dylan wasn't enough for him," says Clove "He had a go at Peeta before moving onto Gloss,"

"One of these days…" sighs Cinna "Well let's crack on with the lesson," he smiles "I know that everybody in this room went or heard about what happened at the Valentine's bash," his smile grows "Katniss Everdeen can sing," he claps "There was so much energy in that one performance, and Gale your speech was just extraordinary-" he's cut off by Cato walking in

"Sorry I'm late," he mutters

"Yes Mr Ludwig I heard about the fight, please take your seat," says Cinna, the whole time Cato stares at me, he takes the seat next to Gale.

"As I was saying that speech was beautiful, Gale, but on the musical side that song has definitely become a hit with our student body, and as Clove instructed me to say when I was introducing the band the rebellion is beginning, the drums were excellently placed and the melody on the piano was very catchy, the bass was definite and clear and Mr Ludwig," says Cinna now in front of Cato's desk "That was quite a guitar solo,"

"Thank you, sir," he says quietly, Cinna continues

"And the vocals, were just, uh," he says as if he is lost for words "Indescribable, Miss Everdeen I assure that you will be graduating this year," his smile widens and I high five Clove "Now, could anybody tell me other than all that why the performance was so great?" and to my surprise Cato raises his hands

"Because Katniss went against all the people that taunted her and called her names, she stood up for herself and put her heart, soul and everything else into that performance, as did the rest of us, because it meant something to us all,"

"And what did it mean to you?" asks Cinna and Cato turns to face me and Peeta

"Friendship," he's looks me straight in the eye then he turns to Peeta "Sorry I pushed you against the lockers, I was pissed,"

"Forgiven," says Peeta giving him a quick bro hug, I roll my eyes "It's only cause he cares about you," Peeta whispers… but what did that actually mean?

Why would Cato care about me?


	10. Chapter 10

Hey guys, there was an ok response to the last chapter, but I kinda want more reviews :/ The best reviewer for chapter nine was **Matt Diesel**, thanks for reviewing everyone :) oh and this chapter is kinda short, it has 1,379 words... sorry...  
- Court x

* * *

Chapter Ten

I get to my bike after the bell rings and Cato approaches.

"I really shouldn't have done that," he says as I'm about to put my helmet on, I sigh and rest it on my lap

"No you shouldn't,"

"Is Peeta really ok? He doesn't admit to anything,"

"He'll have a sore head for a couple days but he'll be fine,"

"Good," he says awkwardly leaning from one foot to the other

"Anything else, cause I would like to go home?" I ask holding my helmet off my lap, I'm about to put my helmet on when he stops me

"Katniss wait," he says grabbing my arm so that I can't put my helmet on "Sorry I went all 'I like to punch stuff' on Peeta and Gloss, I just don't like it when the people I care about get hurt,"

"I didn't get hurt, the only thing that got impact were my lips," I laugh "It's not a big deal and Peeta meant well, Gloss on the other… nice punch," I whisper the last part and Cato smiles "I swear if math was another second longer I would really be undressed and he'd be the one undressing me,"

"He's a bit of a creep," he chuckles

"Definitely got that," I say "But I guess I should thank you for the dance, you're little motivational speech worked really well,"

"I know what it means for someone to tell you that it's gonna work out and you're not crazy,"

"Thanks," I say and I see Peeta walking with someone "Hey Peeta! Need a ride?" he nods and walks over, I pass him the helmet from under the seat "See you later Cato," Peeta gives him a nod and I rev my engine, he wraps his arms around my waist and he directs me to his house.

I pull up in his drive way and he jumps off, I take my helmet off and open the seat as he slots the helmet in. I close the seat.

"Just keep a bag of ice or something to your head and you'll be fine," I say

"Thanks, not just for now for earlier and pulling Cato off me, I'm not sure how far he would have went,"

"Me neither, and about last night-" he cuts me off

"It's fine if you don't feel the same way, it was stupid to think that I could just turn up like that after like a month knowing you and expect something to happen, it was stupid,"

"It wasn't stupid, it was weird, but it wasn't stupid," I say, now that I think about it maybe I do feel something towards Peeta, I'm not quite sure what but I definitely feel something, and the kiss… "I'll admit something, maybe I liked it a little more than I should have," he raises an eyebrow "Do you wanna go grab some pizza sometime? Without the others?"

"Are you asking me on a date?" he smirks

"Maybe…" I smile

"Maybe we could go watch that new movie? The Hunger Games?"

"That'd be cool,"

"So Saturday?"

"Yeah, want me to pick you up?" I ask

"I think I can borrow my brother's car, I mean normally the guy picks up the girl,"

"Are you dissing my bike?" I say acting offended with my hand on my heart, he laughs

"Even as how cool your bike looks, it's fine, my brother won't care, as long as I do something for him-" he's cut off by someone walking out the front door

"Nice bike," he says practically stroking the side of the bike… and my leg "Peet is this your girlfriend?" he asks looking at Peeta whilst holding the handle bars, I turn to look at Peeta who's turned bright red, I raise my eyebrows to test him, I hate it when guys automatically think that you're their girlfriend when you haven't even been on a date.

"No," he says embarrassed rubbing his next

"Thought so, she's so outta your league Peet," he says putting his arm around my shoulders, I freeze up "So do you have a name?" he asks

"Rye, isn't it time you left for football practice?" urges Peeta

"That's right," he says squeezing his arm which still around my shoulders "I do American Football and my little brother does English Football or soccer," Peeta rolls his eyes "So are you going to introduce us?" Peeta huffs

"Katniss this is my _stupid_ brother, Rye, he's also the oldest,"

"Nice to meet you, Katniss," says Rye

"Whatever, I gotta go, see you tomorrow Peeta," I say shoving Rye off me and putting on my helmet

"Feisty," mutter Rye and I roll my eyes

"Thanks for the ride,"

"No problem," I say speeding off down the road and out the corner of my eyes I see Peeta slap his brother on the back of the head. I roll my eyes. _Boys._

* * *

"So you're going on a date _with Peeta_?" asks Clove, I'm talking to her on the phone, she sounds a little surprised

"What's wrong with that?" I ask

"I just didn't think he was your type?"

"What? Nice? Good-looking? And not a jerk?"

"Ok, that's not what I meant but I just didn't think that you liked _Peeta,_ I thought you liked more tall, blonde, muscled-" I cut her off

"Stop describing Cato because that's just…" however I couldn't find the word to finish my sentence

"Just right? Hello? Were you not there when you froze on stage? Cato talked you out of it!"

"You could've if you weren't sat at the drums!" I argue

"Yeah, but you talked Cato off fighting Peeta! When he attacks someone, he attacks someone, even when you try to pull him away, sometimes you even get a bruise of two from doing but with you it was like he couldn't even look at you,"

"It's because it was stupid!"

"Katniss don't lie to yourself, you know what you saw and he cares about, like a lot more than the rest of us," I had to agree but I didn't want to admit it to Clove, I bite my lip.

"I guess this means you don't want to dress me up for me date," I say

"Oh no, I'm totally getting you ready, you're hopeless without me!"

* * *

GALE'S POV

* * *

"Dude! You asked her out?" I ask and Cato rolls his eyes, Peeta smiles

"Well she kinda asked me, but we're going to watch a movie and grab some pizza on Saturday," he says, Cato rolls his eyes again

"What's wrong with you?" I ask Cato

"She's a friend, isn't it going to be awkward when you two break up? Think about the band!" he argues

"I better go, my shift at the bakery," says Peeta awkwardly leaving my room, I hear the front door close after him

"What's really wrong with you?" I ask

"I told you! I'm just thinking about the band!" he says in a high pitch voice that confirms that he was lying

"Or rather you're jealous," I say knowingly

"Am not,"

"Please Cato, I have three younger siblings, I could argue with you for weeks," I say and he sighs "Spill all," God that makes me sound like a girl…

"Fine, she's different,"

"Well I think I know that, seeing as you two were flirting on stage Friday night," I say with a smirk

"It wasn't flirting, you saw how she froze, and I talked her out of it so she could perform,"

"And in the hall earlier? What was that?"

"I know, it was stupid, I shouldn't have pushed Peeta against the lockers,"

"No you shouldn't," I say

"God you sound like Katniss," he says putting his head in his hands

"I wasn't actually talking about you almost giving Peeta concussion; I was talking about how Katniss managed to get you to back off! That never happens!"

"I know," he says shamefully "I don't know what she's doing to me,"

"Neither do I," I say clapping him on the shoulder

"It's just when I'm around her it's like she's the only thing I see, I get this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach and whenever she's sad I want to punch anyone who did anything wrong to her,"

"You've got it bad my friend," I say standing up

"Got what?" he asks confused

"You've got a crush on Katniss."


	11. Chapter 11

Hey guys, best reviewer for the last chapter goes to **LilyZ**, your reviews always make me smile, but I was very disappointed that I only got three reviews for the last chapter, come on guys, i want to know whether you like it or not.

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Eleven

There's a knock at my front, I'm still in bed and my mother hasn't returned home from her date and Marvel's sleeping on a spare mattress on my bedroom floor.

The knock persists.

"Katniss answer the door!" moans Marvel

"You answer the door!" I moan back

"I'm the guest!" he argues

"Ugh," I moan "Fine," I climb out my bed in my pyjamas, which consist of boy shorts and an old oversized t-shirt and my hair is in a messy bun

"Looking hot, Kat," calls Marvel, I give him the bird as I walk like a zombie down the stairs to the door, it's 10 am and it's a Saturday, I guess they've never heard of a lie-in…

The person at the door keeps knocking.

"I'm coming! I'm coming," I shout grabbing my keys off the counter and unlocking the door. I open the door to Clove. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I told you that I was gonna get you ready for your date!" she smiles barging in, I close the door

"That's in eight hours!" I stomp

"You need the help," she says looking me up and down

"I just got up!" I argue

"Your room now," she says pushing me up the stairs

"Who was-" Marvel's cut off when he sees Clove "Good morning Clover," he smiles, Clove scowls and I can't help but laugh

"Go home, Marvel," says Clove

"Not an option," says Marvel and Clove raises her eyebrow

"Considering that my mother went on a date with his dad last night and they didn't make it home, I'm presuming that last night they're doing something, hopefully with a rubber,"

"Gross," says Clove "Fine, he can stay," she says sitting on my bed

"Why's she here anyways?" asks Marvel rubbing his eyes

"I'm helping Katniss get ready for date," says Clove

"A date?" questions Marvel

"That's in six hours," I moan

"Who you going on a date with?" asks Marvel

"Peeta," smiles Clove

"I'm getting food," I say leaving my room and going downstairs, I open the cupboard and get a cereal box out, then there's a knock at my door, really? Again?

I make my way over to the door and open it to find, Peeta, Gale and Cato.

"Ugh, more people," I moan closing the door behind them

"Good morning to you too," laughs Gale

"Clove's upstairs," I say shoving my hand in the cereal box and eating a handful of it

"So ladylike," laughs Peeta

"It's Saturday morning and my mother isn't home, what do you expect?" I say eating another handful and walking upstairs. "Clove, the boys are here," I shout. I go in my room and flop on my bed and hold the cereal out to Marvel and he shakes his head denying my offer of food.

"What are you guys doing here?" asks Clove

"Hanging out," says Gale but then I notice that Cato is being really… quiet…

"Are you going to get dressed?" asks Peeta with a smile

"Yes, maybe, 5 o'clock time maybe," I shrug eating some more cereal

"We were wondering if you wanted to go hang out at the park," asks Cato, finally he says something!

"Yeah, that would be-" I'm cut off by Clove

"Nope, no we can't," she says

"It doesn't take seven and a half hours to find me something to wear!" I argue, falling face first onto my bed

"She's busy all day, sorry guys," smiles Clove, I roll my eyes

"I hate you so much," I say

"Aww! Love you too Kat," she smiles. I walk the guys to the front door; Gale and Cato leave quite quickly.

"See you later, Peeta," he smiles and nods before getting into Cato's truck. I close the door to find Clove and Marvel standing behind me with their arms folded and smiling like goofballs. "What?"

"See you later, Peeta," taunts Clove

"Oh Peeta, I love you so much-" I cut Marvel off

"Shut up," I say pushing him just then my mother walks in in the same clothes as yesterday "Good morning mother," I smirk and Marvel's holding in his laugh

"Sorry I didn't come home last night, Marvel your father is waiting outside," she says

"See you later Katniss, enjoy your date," he says walking out the front door

"Date?" asks my mother

"Oh yeah, Katniss is going on a date with Peeta at six o'clock tonight, they're going to watch a movie and get some pizza," explains Clove, I face palm. "Do you want to see a picture of him?"

I sigh and start climbing the stairs "I'll be in my room."

* * *

CATO'S POV

* * *

"She's beautiful, even in the mornings," sighs Peeta as we play video games in my room, I roll my eyes "I can't believe I'm going on a date with her," I really want to punch him at this moment in time.

"If you're like this, you'll scare her off," I say now it's time for Gale to roll his eyes

"What Cato means is that you need to act cool and have all the right moves," says Gale

I drop the controller and walk toward the door, of _my_ bedroom "I'll be in the kitchen."

* * *

GALE'S POV

* * *

"What do you mean act cool and have all the right moves?" asks Peeta, I sigh

"You can't just tell a girl you love her and expect something back; you have to _woo her_,"

"No offence man, but that sounds kinda medieval,"

"Buys her flowers, like tulips, roses are overrated, and be a gentleman, open the car door for her and walk her home from the car,"

"Right," he says

"Good," I say "But if you hurt her, I'll break you, she's practically like my sister now,"

"I would never hurt her, intentionally,"

"That's cool, hey where'd Cato go?"

* * *

CLOVE'S POV

* * *

"Hey where'd Katniss go?" asks Katniss' mother

"Probably to her room," says Clove

"I hope this date works out well for her, something to boost her sprit ya know?" says Mrs Everdeen

"Yeah, I do too," I say

"Here," says Mrs Everdeen handing me some sandwiches and some potato chips "Go have some lunch and get her ready for her date," she smiles

"Thanks Mrs E," I smile. I head up the stairs to Katniss' room. I stop outside her room when I hear singing and guitar playing.

_I don't look for trouble but trouble looks for me  
And it's been waiting on a corner since I was 17  
They say yea 'cause a hurricane,  
Trouble is her middle name  
But I don't look for trouble, yea trouble looks for me hey hey_

_I just wanna live a quiet life  
I make him excel a wife  
Man, I swear I really try  
But some boys ain't just hugging to hold  
Trouble is my name you know  
Trouble is my name you know_

_I don't look for trouble but trouble looks for me  
And it's been waiting on a corner since I was 17  
They say yea 'cause a hurricane,  
Trouble is her middle name  
But I don't look for trouble, yea trouble looks for me hey hey_

_Hey  
Hey hey  
Hey  
Hey hey_

_I don't look for trouble but trouble looks for me  
And it's been waiting on a corner since I was 17  
They say like yo  
Got so many styles, I'm a Gemini  
But I don't look for trouble, yea trouble looks for me hey hey_

_Like come on let's have a toast  
Pour more whiskey in my coke  
Never been one of the herd  
Flippin everyone the bird  
He can say that I am heartless  
I'll just let him use my heartless  
I go hard 'cause I'm the hardest  
And we ain't even started yea_

_Hey  
Hey hey  
Hey  
Hey hey_

_Trouble_

_I don't look for trouble but trouble looks for me  
And it's been waiting on a corner since I was 17  
They say yea 'cause a hurricane,  
Trouble is her middle name  
But I don't look for trouble, yea trouble looks for me hey hey_

_Hey  
Hey hey  
Hey  
Hey hey_

_Trouble_

I open the door.

"Nice song," I say setting the sandwiches and crisps on her bed "Trouble by Neon Jungle, huh?"

"Yeah, it's catchy," she smiles and puts the guitar down and tucks into the sandwiches

"So what movie are you going to see later?"

"The Hunger Games, it's kinda weird considering that most of the characters have the same name as us,"

"Weird," I say taking a bite of my sandwich

* * *

KATNISS' POV

* * *

"Voila," says Clove stepping away from me, she's dressed me in maroon high waisted jean shorts and a My Chemical Romance t-shirt which is tucked into the shorts and I'm wearing a pair of combat boots.

She lined my eyes with eyeliner again and she gave me cherry flavoured lip gloss this time and she even gave me white eye shadow which when blended makes my eyes look even cooler.

She crimped and styled my hair into a messy high ponytail which doesn't even look that messy.

"Thanks," I say giving her a hug then there's a knock on the front door, downstairs. "MOM, DO NOT ANSWER THAT!" I shout running down the stairs. Clove laughs at me and follows.

"Hey Peeta," I say opening the door, he's holding a bouquet of red tulips, I smile and take them. I take them to the kitchen and place them in a vase and fill it with water quickly. I hurry back to Peeta with this small purse that Clove has dumped on me.

"Have a nice date," she calls waving at us. Peeta opens the door to the car and I get in, he closes the door and gets in the other side.

"You look great," he smiles as he starts up the car

"Thanks," I say, we drive to the movie and sit down in the middle of the theatre, Peeta casually puts his arm around my shoulder and I let him, the lights dim down and we tuck into our popcorn.

The movie is pretty good.

"I'll be back in a sec," I whisper "I gotta pee," I get to the end of the row just as Katniss blows up the career's food pile, it's weird how they all have the same names as us and kinda look like us, it's creepy.

I go to the toilet and as I walk back I see Clove, Gale and an agitated looking Cato sitting on the back row, wearing sunglasses? I hear Clove whisper to Gale.

"I can't believe we're doing this," she whispers

"Neither can I," moans Cato "Spying on their date is just gross," wait they're spying on their date? I casually go sit back with Peeta and he smiles.

"Don't look now," I whisper "But Clove, Cato and Gale are sitting on the back row spying on us,"

"What?" he starts to turn but I flip him back around

"I said don't look,"

"Do you want to ditch the movie?" he asks

"And hide from our not so good spies?"

"Come on let's go," he says grabbing my hand and sneaking out the other exit. "I can't believe they did that," he says, our hands are still entwined

"I know," I say

"But I'm glad about something," he says smiling

"What?" I ask, he lifts our entwined hands up "Me too," I smile

"Do you wanna get something to eat?" he asks

"Well there's about forty minutes till the movie ends so I think we're good," I say

"Let's go," he says and get in Peeta's brother's car, we drive to the pizza parlour and share a pizza. "That movie was weird,"

"Tell me about it," I say "They all have the same names as us and look like us, except that Katniss girl, she's nothing like me,"

"No, but for the record, you're prettier," he says, I blush

"Thanks, but I will point out another thing,"

"And what's that?"

"Cato, Clove and Marvel are harmless… well Clove and Marvel are," Peeta laughs

"I feel sorry for Gloss," then he takes a minute to think over what he just said "Actually I take that back,"

"I thought you might," I laugh slurping my milkshake "I've enjoyed today, Peeta,"

"Me too," he smiles "Just don't let Cato's bitchiness get you done, something's up with him and I intend to find out what," I nod and he takes a bite of his pizza.

What is Cato hiding?


	12. Chapter 12

Hey guys thanks for the reviews, I got a couple more than last time, it's still a bit disappointing, it doesn't take much to review or even win best reviewer, heck if I like that one word you send me, you could become best reviewer! For chapter elven best reviewer goes to **MaximumAngel1** thanks for reviewing. This chapter is 1,638 words long, hope you Peeta lover's don't hate me after this, after all it is a catoniss fanfiction! And Cato lovers prepared to be surprised!

- Court

* * *

Chapter Twelve

"Ok! Ok! I apologise!" shouts Clove as I tickle her

"Sorry what was that?" I ask still tickling her

"I apologise for spying on you-" she squeals as I continue to tickle her

"Ok you're forgiven," I smile as Clove collapses on the floor panting

"Hey Katniss," says Peeta kissing me on the cheek and raising an eyebrow at Clove "Why is Clove on the floor?"

"She apologised for spying," I smile

"She tickled me!" shouts Clove "Now sit down bitches, let's eat," she says grabbing my hand and pulling me down. Peeta laughs and sits down next to me, then Gale and Cato appears. "I hope you two aren't ticklish," mutters Clove

"What? Why?" Gale asks as they both sit down on the grass, Cato takes a bite out of his sandwich

"She wouldn't apologise," I say eating an apple

"We just wanted to make sure that your date was going ok," explains Gale

"I was not included," says Cato

"Yeah, we had to literally drag him to the movie theatre," explains Clove

"I have the bruises on my shins to prove it," says Gale, I laugh

"He's almost as stubborn as you Katniss," says Clove and I roll my eyes

"So Cato, what's with the grumpiness lately, you've gotten worse," says Peeta

"Peeta!" I hiss "Don't be rude,"

"Hey have you guys heard that that movie star Josh Hutcherson is coming school, to look for the students that have the same names as the people in that movie, which means Katniss, he'll be looking for you!" says Clove trying to change the subject

"Joy, just what I need, a snobby movie star," I sigh just then I hear a scream "Girls," I mutter

"That must mean, he's in the cafeteria," says Clove, at this point Cato is glaring at Peeta

"What's the problem Cato?" asks Peeta "Why so grumpy all of a sudden?"

"Stop being a bitch, Peeta," hisses Cato

"Please don't fight," I moan

"It's not my fault that Cato's turned into a raging bitch ever since-" Peeta stops himself

"Ever since what?" asks Cato angrily "Huh?"

"Ever since I admitted that I liked Katniss! What are you jealous?" taunts Peeta, I sit there shocked

"Oh my god," mutters Cato

"But Katniss wouldn't like someone like you cause there's only one place where you're going-"

"Peeta," I hiss

"Is prison,"

"Peeta!" Clove and I shout together

"Fuck this," says Cato grabbing his bag and walking away

"Well done Peet," complains Gale

"Nice move Peeta," spits Clove

"Since when will Cato be going to prison? And how the hell is he jealous? You know other people have other problem that they don't want you to know about,"

"Katniss-" says Peeta but I cut him off

"Jerk," I spit grabbing my backpack and running off in the direction Cato left. I run through the quad and down the hall past the lockers, Cato isn't at his locker… I run down the hall and run face first into something.

I get up from the floor and pick up my books that have spilled out from my bag.

"Sorry," I mutter to the person I just ran into

"It's ok, but your mind looks elsewhere can I help you with something?"

"No, I'm good," I say looking at this guy, he looks familiar and he looks a lot like Peeta "You look a lot like Peeta,"

"That's because I played the character in The Hunger Games movie,"

"I was actually talking about my friend, Peeta,"

"And you look a lot like Jen," he smiles

"I'm Katniss Everdeen,"

"Josh, Josh Hutcherson," he says shaking my hands "Can I get a tour?"

"I've actually gotta be somewhere right now, I was running after my friend Cato when I ran into you,"

"Cato, huh?" he smiles "He's the bad guy in the movie,"

"Well this guy, Cato, he's one of the nicest people you'll meet yet Peeta is… not so nice… I really have to go,"

"How about I catch you later?"

"Um… sure," I say "Bye,"" I say running out the hall, I spot Cato on the bleachers. I walk slowly up the steps and sit next to him. "Guess who I just met?"

"I don't know," he says quietly

"Josh Hutcherson,"

"So you met a celebrity?"

"It's weird, he looks a lot like Peeta and I just wanted to slap the guy," this makes Cato laugh "Peeta was a jerk, the whole prison thing, that's just stupid to think that, and jealous? I think he's just paranoid," Cato chuckles "But he was slightly right with something… you've been acting weird lately… do mind confessing?"

"Something happened when Peeta was like talking about you all the time, it kinda pissed me off, no offence but it was kinda boring talking about you all the time,"

"I would be bored too," I admit

"When I eleven, I went to a sleepover at my best friend's house, he had a big sister, who was in high school, when he went to sleep his older sister came downstairs into the basement where we were sleeping… she put her hand inside my sleeping bag… she, she touched me," a single tear slipped down his cheek

"I told my parents and they went to my friend's parents, they didn't believe it because she was a girl and she was such a nice girl, she baby-sitted other kids and was on the honour roll, they didn't believe me," he takes a breath

"My friend called me a liar and told everyone at school, they all called me names and eventually we had to move because it got so bad, around the time that Peeta admitted that he liked you I saw her in the newspaper I think the title was _Do Gooder Does Good in Panem Policing,_ my dad works at the police department and he invited her and her boyfriend around to dinner, she's been visiting a lot and I just- I just can't handle it," I turn to face him

"I can't imagine what it feels to have that person around you all the time, but I know what it's like to have people hate you because of something you said or did, before I moved here, everything got so… bad, one time they took a picture of me changing from gym and I didn't know it they put the picture up all around school and on the picture in big red writing was the word sket, and another time I had to go see the guidance counsellor because I wouldn't talk to anybody, they made rumours up that I tried to kill myself. It got so much that one day I nearly did, that was the last straw, my mother moved us here and it was bye, bye Seam hello Panem,"

Before I know what's happening, Cato's hugging me and I hug back.

"Sorry about Peeta," I whisper into his chest before we pull back, we start walking down by the bleachers back to the quad; Cato puts his arm around my shoulder.

"He can be a real bitch sometimes, but if you like him-"

"Woah! I will stop you there,"

"Wait? You don't like him?"

"Peeta's a nice guy… when he wants to be; I just don't really… feel… anything…" I admit and Cato laughs "Is that mean?"

"No, after your date I got a text… it said the date was perfect and that you were perfect and that I was a jerk… he's just happy that he got to go on a date with you,"

"I'm anything but perfect,"

"Nobody's perfect," he says

"I know that," I say "Do you think that you two could get along if I talked to Peeta?"

"I mean I'll try, but I'm not promising anything," he says now smiling

"I wouldn't expect any less," I say and we spot Clove over at her locker, Cato drops his arm from my shoulder as she we get to Clove

"Hey, I wondered where you got to," she says with a smile "I was thinking about practicing later? That is if you and Peeta don't fight," she says the last part looking at Cato

"I will try not to," he smirks, I notice Peeta slam his locker and look over to us

"I'll be right back," I say hopping across the hall to Peeta "I understand that you don't exactly like each other but for god's sake Peeta, we're in a band. If you mess this up, you mess it up for the rest of us, we're having a practice tonight, I want you to apologise to Cato, there's more to him than you think," I go to turn away but he grabs my wrist

"And what? You sat sharing stories? Telling each other about the terrible things that happened in your life? Then he said oh Katniss I'm in love with you and you what just went along with it?" his grip on my wrist tightens

"No, he isn't 'in love with me' he's my friend, I wish the same could be said about you," I rip my wrist out of his grip but his pushes me again the lockers and pushes his lips down on mine, I try to move my hands but they're pinned to the lockers, I pull my knee up into his most private of areas and he is ripped away from me. I see Cato and the Josh Hutcherson from earlier holding Peeta back, Cato looks absolutely fuming.

Cato lets go of Peeta and comes over to me and asks if I'm ok, I nod. Josh pushes Peeta down the hall.

"After that we're over!" shouts Peeta

"You weren't even together!" Clove calls down the corridor

"I think that rules out practice tonight," I say biting my lip.

_What the hell just happened?_


	13. Chapter 13

Hey guys, thanks for the reviews, the best one for the last chapter goes to **sallysally**, this chapter is 2,080 words long and is bitchy, funny, heartwarming and sad in one... well I hope. Keep the reviews coming, I love em' even if you're a guest and they're one word!

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Thirteen (Unlucky for some, hopefully not for me)

I come downstairs, it's March 14th and it was six months today. I feel like death, excuse the pun, I have a cold shower and don't even both to put my hair in its usual braid, I put it in a messy bun and change into skinny jeans and a t-shirt and converse.

To be honest I feel like I could be a proper bitch today if I wanted, especially after yesterday...  
I grab my bag and walk downstairs; we don't say anything to each other we just carry on. It was worse at Christmas; we just stayed in bed until Uncle Haymitch made us eat a crappy Chinese takeaway so that we actually ate something, I just threw it back up later...

I'm not in the mood to eat so I grab my helmet and keys and head out to my bike, it's probably not such a good idea to ride my bike today but I don't really have a choice.  
I drive to school and get off my bike, my phones ringing but I don't answer it until I get to my locker.

"Six months, sweetheart," says the voice on the other end of the line, it's slurred and Haymitch which means he's drunk... again...

"I know," I say monotone

"How have things been?"

"Crappy, better, great and crappy again," I answer summing up the past couple months

"Hang in there kid," he says

"Just don't tell me that it'll get better," I say "Because you're not the greatest role model,"

"I know, just keep your head up today, oh and sweetheart?"

"What?" I ask rum munching through my locker looking for my math books, math with Peeta... Joy...

"Try not to be a bitch to those friends of yours,"

"I'll try," I say hanging up. I place my phone on the shelf in my locker and rest my forehead against the top of the lockers with my eyes closed. I sigh. My head's pounding, that may or may not be because my mother and I drank our way into the day. I shared a bottle with her and my head is paying for it today.

"Good morning," says a cheery Clove

"No it isn't," I moan shoving my phone in my bag and closing my locker

"You look rough,"

"I feel it,"

"What's up?"

"I don't want to talk about it,"

"We'll whatever it is, I'm here for you," Clove always knows what to say

"Thanks,"

"Good luck in math," she says walking to her class, I sigh and head to my math room; I place my books on my table and sit down. Peeta scuttles in a second later, he gives me an apologetic look before going to sit at the back of the class, I'm thankful.

But then I'm not. Gloss swaggers in with a few other people, he smirks when he sees me and how Peeta's sitting at the back of the room. He slides into the seat next to me and starts flirting, the last straw is when he puts his hand on my thigh.

"I suggest you remove you hand from my thigh," I hiss

"You know you like it," he purrs seductively

"Today's not the day," I say

"What's wrong with today?" he purrs

"You really want to know?" I ask hysterical, he raises his eyebrows and nods "Six months ago today my little sister and dad died and I watched it happen," I scrape my chair back and exit it the room, I don't care that I've left my bag or my books or that the bell has rung and the teacher was in the room or that everyone was listening.

I walk out to the bleachers and sit midway and watch a gym class as I just let the tears roll.

"Hey, shouldn't you be in class?" I turn and see Josh from yesterday, I wipe my eyes quickly

"Didn't catch you yesterday, you must have been in a hurry to get home after what happened in the hall,"

"Yeah something like that," I mutter

"Where's your stuff?"

"That would be in my math room,"

"So why are you out here?"

"Some guy in my math class was flirting with me and it really pissed me off,"

"I don't think you're supposed cry when you're pissed,"

"Six months ago today, I watched my dad and little sister die," I say not expressing any emotion

"It's all on my file, all the teachers know about it,"

"You don't know that,"

"On my first day the receptionist said 'keep your chin up',"

"That's one teacher,"

"My gym teacher knew my dad and my music teacher told me that he'd read my file,"

"Ok so the teachers know, so that must mean that you won't get called to the principal's office,"

"Wait for it," I say and the PA system bursts into life

"Could Katniss Everdeen please go to the principal's office,"

I sigh "I guess I'll see you later,"

"I'll see if I can find you lunch," he calls as I stand up and walk to the principal's office. I check the time, twenty minutes I'd been missing from math class. I hope it wasn't enough time to call my mother... I knock on the door.

"Come in," says Principle Heavensbee from inside his office, I go in and slump into the chair, I guess twenty minutes was enough to call my mother in... "Miss Everdeen, where have you been? I was informed by your mathematics teacher that you left the lesson,"

"I was on the bleachers," I sigh

"And what were you doing there?"

"Thinking and talking to Josh Hutcherson," I say admitting all

"Ah, yes, our visitor… why did you leave the lesson Miss Everdeen?"

"Because," I say as the bell outside rings, I just want to get out of here, can I run away?

"Please Katniss, I've been worried sick, the last time you went off unannounced…" she can't bring herself to say it; it was just after Christmas before we moved here.

"I tried to kill myself? You really think that I'd do that?" I'm practically shouting

"I was just worried," she says clutching a tissue, she dabs her face. I roll my eyes; the only thing she worries about is her next date with Mark.

"Miss Everdeen, the punishment for cutting class is detention," says Principal Heavensbee "But under your current situation-" I cut him off

"Because my dad and little sister died six months ago you mean?"

"I'm letting you off," he says

"Great, can I go now?" I ask standing up

"No, sit down Miss Everdeen," he says firmly, I sit down "I will ask you again, why did you leave your math class, did something trigger-" I cut him off again

"No," I say not wanting to be a grass on Gloss "And no, I'm not mental unstable, if you wanted to ask," I say smugly

"Right," he says clearing his throat and straightening his tie "Go collect your things and return to your classes," I stand from the seat but my mother touches my arm

"Be good, Katniss, please," she says, I flick her off my arm and exit the office to find Peeta with my bag waiting outside.

"Um, thanks," I say hesitantly taking my bag from Peeta

"I have a free period so I thought I'd bring it to you,"

"Thanks," I say "So do I," this is a little awkward, we start to wall down the hall

"I'm sorry, about yesterday; it was a dick move,"

"A very dick move," I correct…

"Yeah, are we cool?" he asks

"I don't know," I say truthfully

"I hope we can be and maybe get back to where we left off-" I cut him off

"No, Peeta," I say stopping, he stops too and turns to face me "I mean, the date was fun and everything but I think we'd be better off being just friends,"

"Oh, um ok," he says a little crushed; I bite my lip "You like Cato don't you?"

"What! No, he's my friend!" I say shocked by his outburst

"He obviously likes you," he says as we continue to walk

"No, he doesn't," I say unsure of it all, I change the subject "Back in the classroom, did everybody hear what I said or…"

"Oh, they heard alright, it was kinda hard not to,"

"Damn," I say deject "I may have just ruined my badass biker chick reputation," Peeta chuckles at my comment, we're now out on the quad and I see Clove, Cato and Gale sat talking, I go sit with them. Peeta awkwardly joins. They all look at Peeta as if he's some sort of pixie. "He's forgiven," I say

"By you maybe," mutters Gale, who's sitting next to me

"Where'd you go during math?" asks Clove

"Does everyone know?" I ask with my head in my hands

"Probably," says Cato "Glimmer, the slut, is in your math class and she sent a text to like everyone,"

"What did it say?" I moan

"Katniss Everdeen just stormed out math class, I wonder who's in the janitor's closet waiting for a fuck," says Gale reading from his phone

"Ugh," I moan even louder and I lay my head on Clove's lap "I guess I owe you guys an explanation, well other than Peeta, he already knows," I say

"Yeah, Katniss Everdeen cannot just go AWOL without telling her best friends," says Clove pulling my hair out the messy bun and braiding it

"Six months ago, today," I say, feeling kinda sick with myself "My dad and sister died, as I watched," they all stop and look at me

"We're here for you," says Cato, speaking up first

"Definitely," says Clove

"Always," says Peeta

"And all the time after that," says Gale

"Thanks you guys, sorry for being a bitch today," I apologise

"It happens to all of us," says Clove getting back to braiding my hair.

"You guys are the best," I say and I should really tell them more often.

We sit around our normal lunch table in the cafeteria, ignoring the stares and the whispers directed at me.

"So are we going to practice tonight?" I ask munching on a carrot stick

"I'm in if you guys are," says Clove and eventually everyone agrees, they seem to have forgiven Peeta but Cato still seems to be edgy, maybe he's seen that woman again…

"This seat taken?" I turn my head and see Josh

"It's yours," I say and he sits down next to me "Josh this is Clove, Cato, Gale and Peeta,"

"Weird," says Clove with a mouthful of whatever "You two kinda look alike," she says taking one of my carrot sticks and jabbing it between Peeta and Josh. Josh laughs.

There's a girly laugh from the other side of the room before the clack of high heels getting louder, meaning that they're getting closer.

"Slut alert," says Clove

"I heard that!" says Glimmer; she's wearing an incredibly short shirt and a very low cut top revealing a lacy pink bra.

"You were supposed to," I say, Clove smirks at me remembering the day she was on my phone in biology

"What are you doing here, Glimmer?" asks or rather moans Cato

"Just coming to say hi to Josh, hi Josh," she purrs seductively, I roll my eyes

"Thanks for telling everyone that I was going to the janitor's office for a fuck, Glimmer," I smile sarcastically

"So who was it?" she asks wanting to get the gossip, I smirk deviously as I remember Clove telling me that she's going out with some guy called Jason…

"His name's Jason Karlson, not the first time with him mind, he needs a bit more practice, if you know what I mean," I say "Although he is a bit… small," I say biting my lip to contain from laughter, I can feel Clove struggling to contains her's as she's shaking beside me. Cato's hiding behind his poker face which is beginning to crack but Gale's and Peeta are grinning like Cheshire cats.

Glimmer gasps before running as fast as her hooker heels can carry her; she goes straight up to her boyfriend, Jason Karlson and slaps him hard whilst our table erupts with laughter.

"Nice one," laughs Clove giving me a high five "Pure genius,"

"Why thank you," I smirk biting my carrot stick.

_Something tells me this won't be the last I've seen of Glimmer._


	14. Chapter 14

Hey guys, this chapter is a little shorter than the norm, it's 1,545 words long and sad yet there is some true in it and some moments where you'll think oh my god this means that... and some parts will remind you of the books :) Best reviewer goes to **LOS2005**, thanks for reviewing, I could do with more though :L All credit goes to Suzanne Collins except the little thing in italics at the bottom, me and my friend made that up...

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Fourteen (Clove's POV)

"I can't believe that you said that to Glimmer," I say "It was genius," we walk down the hall to my locker

"I don't think that I can believe it either," Katniss says as I shove my books in my locker, the next classes I have are music and biology. Katniss and I head to the music room to find Cato, Peeta and Gale already there. "I'll be back in a second, I gotta pee," I laugh and take my seat as Katniss dumps her bag on the desk and exits the room.

"Well at least the day is almost over," says Gale

"Don't say that, you'll make it go even slower!" I moan

"Oh shut up Clove," says Cato rolling his eyes with a stupid smile

"At practice tonight I was thinking that we could try out this song I heard by-" Peeta is cut off by the voice of Principle Heavensbee on the PA system.

Something that is said over the PA systems silences not just the class but the entire school.

"There are gunmen in school, please turn off the lights, close the blinds and do not move out of classroom you are in, please stay quiet and hide," my heart stops.

"Katniss," says Cato standing up and going to the door but Cinna stops him

"Everyone go sit on the floor at the edge of the room, no one leaves this room," says Cinna closing the blinds

"I have to go get Katniss," says Cato "She just went to the bathroom! It's not even that far it's just down the hall!" I hear the desperation in his voice

"You can't leave the room, Cato," he says staying firm, I touch Cato's shoulder.

"This is Katniss we're talking about," I say "The strongest person we have ever met, she's probably in another classroom or talking to Josh or something, just come sit down," I tell him, his tense muscles relax slightly even though me, myself, is worried about Katniss.

We sit at the edge of the room under the piano; Gale gets me a look and Peeta looks worried.

"She'll be fine," I say "This is Katniss Everdeen we're talking about," I say, but I'm not even sure myself.

Please God, let Katniss be ok.

* * *

KATNISS

* * *

I go over the last two seconds in my head, I was washing my hands in the toilets normally and about to return to the music classroom when the obvious tone of Principle Heavensbee is not good; the only two words that my brain registers are; gunmen and hide.

My heart is beating in my ears and I gulp uncomfortably, with a thirst for water. My feet stay rooted to the floor. I hear movement outside of the bathroom and I hurry into a stall and close the door. I sit on the toilet seat and bring my knees up and tuck them under my chin.

_Breathe._ I tell myself.

I hear the bathroom door open and close; a new set of breathing joins my own. I hold my breath. They're heavy footsteps, it's a man, an armed man, which means I can't run for it or hold him to my bluff.

I hear the bathroom door open and close again.

The footsteps disappear and I sigh silently.

I need to get into a classroom and fast.

I step down from the toilet seat and open the cubicle door, the bathroom is clear of people, only me. I hesitantly reach for the bathroom door, I peak around, the hall is clear. There is nobody and none of my senses tell me of another presence.

I slip of the bathroom and close the door carefully so that no noise is made. I silently slip down the hall and quickly but quietly make my way to the music classroom. My heart pounds faster and my breath is flustered and has no particular pattern, I bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from making any kind of noise.

I get to the door and I force myself to knock.

* * *

CATO

* * *

There's a knock on the door, everyone's watching the door as if it had just told us that it would rather be called Stan instead of door. I stand up to answer the door but Clove and Gale hold me back. Cinna places a finger on his lips telling us to be quiet.

What if it's Katniss?

My thoughts are cut short when I hear a voice outside which is unmistakably hers but there's another, then there's a loud bang. I leap forward but Cinna tackles me, causing a scuffle. He pins me to the ground, no words are spoken.

I hear gruff words spoken from the other side of the door, telling me that Katniss wasn't alone. I gulp, my throat dry and in need of a drink.

I pray to God that Katniss is ok.

* * *

KATNISS

* * *

I turn to see a small dark skinned girl with black hair running my way. I catch her from falling.

"Are you ok?" I whisper and she nods, she reminds me of Prim. I knock on the door again. "They'll let us in, they have to," I whisper, no one comes to the door "So what's your name?"

"Rue,"

"Well Rue, I'm Katniss," I say holding my hand out to her

"I know who you are, everyone does, even us freshman," I smirk "Have you seen anything?" I ask and she shakes her head "Good," I sigh, she's shaking too, I pull her into a welcomed hug "It's gonna be ok, we're going to find a classroom and sit and wait to be told it's safe," I pull back and grab her hand gently, I turn to walk down the hall but a man stands before us with a gun.

I swallow, my throat die.

"You should have been quiet," he smirks dangerously, I push Rue behind me and shield her "How cute," he laughs, that laugh will haunt me if I survive this tale. I turn my head slightly and whisper to Rue, something so inaudible only the two of us could hear it.

"On three, run," I whisper, I hold one hand behind my back holding one finger. The man looks between us. I hold up another finger, two, then another, three.

Rue bolts and I run forward and knock the man against the lockers with all my force. He shoves me down on the floor as a loud bang distracts me. I look down the hall and see Rue on the floor with a pool of blood flowing from her neck another man stands by her smirking.

"Didn't you here the announcement? He said _gunmen_ not gunman," he laughs again, my breaths become quicker, more intense, and my heart is pounding like Clove going crazy on a drum solo. He points the gun at me whilst I lay defenceless on the floor.

"Go ahead," I say. He aims at me and bang. Pop goes the weasel.

The sound of sirens fills the air and he looks panicked he shouts for him and his accomplice to run. They disappear from sight.

"Katniss?" I hear Rue shout in desperation. I clutch my stomach with my hand, it comes back red. I apply pressure; maybe I can stop the bleeding. I drag myself over the shiny white floor, trailing my blood across.

I grit my teeth and bite my cheek in an attempt not to cry out in pain so not to attract the attention of a possible third gunman.

"Katniss!" I hear Rue shout louder.

Screw the third gunman.

"I'm coming," I shout back, pulling myself across the floor. Eventually I reach Rue. I take off my hoodie and hold it to her neck in a last minute attempt to save her. She shakes her head no and tells me to remove the cloth, I do so.

"Sing," she manages to say whilst gritting her teeth, I barely catch the word. Immediately I know what to sing.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes,  
And when you awake, the sun will rise._

Here it's safe, here it's warm,  
Here the daisies guard you from harm,  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true,  
Here is the place where I love you.

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away,  
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray,  
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay,  
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away.

Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true,  
Here is the place where I love you.

A single tear rolls down the small girl's face then she becomes still.

People rush into the hallways as I gently close her eyes.

The pain in my stomach is unbearable and I fade into the darkness, I am left thinking as I drift out of consciousness.

_I'm one step closer to insanity but enough steps away to know I should stop, the problem is I can't because the pain makes me feel that little bit more human, making me just another side effect of a generation fuck up._


	15. Chapter 15

Hey guys, chapter fifteen! Wow, fifteen, i got a good amount of reviews for the last chapter and it took a while to find a winner, so the best reviewer for the last chapter was, and you gotta love her name, **Psycho Fangirl**! This chapter is 1,554 words, enjoy!

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Fifteen

_"Katniss, Katniss, wake up," I'm being shaken awake, I open my eyes and find myself in a white room and the person waking me up is… myself? "Ah finally you're awake," the other me says_

_"Err…"_

_"Don't worry you're in the hospital," says the other Katniss_

_"I figured," I say looking around the room. I'm looking at myself laid on a bed, not moving whilst another me stands in front of the chair I'm sitting on. I stand up and get closer to the bed. So there's three of me? "What is this place?"_

_"I already told you, dumbass, it's the hospital," she laughs and her mouth then forms an o shape "I know what you mean," she says "That's you, well us," she says pointing to the me on the bed "You were shot in the stomach, those gunmen got Rue, you survived, that is if you choose to,"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"This is like a gateway, if you touch the you on the bed then you return but if you exit this hospital room, you die,"_

_"So I'm in a coma, fighting for my life?" I ask_

_"The doctors lie, you do all the fighting on your own without the medicine," she says sitting in the car_

_"It would be so easy just to slip away," I say "I have nothing left to live for, I mean Prim's gone and dad too, maybe I'll see them,"_

_"No one can guarantee that though, and plus you're loved here,"_

_"Yeah, by my mother, I bet she's too busy with Mark," I mutter_

_"Nope," says other me "She's been sat by your bed the whole time, you know if you slip away I don't think she'd be able to carry on like last time,"_

_"Like last time? She didn't carry on!" I spit "Every time that she's home and I'm not and she's not with Mark, she sits and cries. I don't call that carrying on,"_

_"More reason for you to stay, she needs you,"_

_"She'll get over me,"_

_"What about Clove?" she says raising her eyebrows_

_"What about Clove?" I ask_

_"She loves you; you're like a sister to her. It meant so much to her that you talked to her and that you trusted her,"_

_"I see it's already past tense," I mutter_

_"Don't get bobbed down on details," she says "Cato's beside himself, literally, he thinks that it's his fault,"_

_"Why would it be his fault?" I ask_

_"Because he heard you knocking, when he saw you getting loaded onto the ambulance he broke down, he visited you without the others,"_

_"What happened?" I ask_

_"He apologised he said 'I'm sorry, I could have saved you,' then he kissed your forehead before leaving. Sound familiar?" I gulp at her comment_

_"No," I lie, it sounds exactly like what I felt and Cato's already been through enough as it is, could I really hurt him?_

_"You know I can hear you thoughts,"_

_Damn it._

_"You really know how to wind me up;" I sigh "Who else has visited?"_

_"Peeta, he stares most of the time, in shock I think, and he's in love with you even after what you said about being friends,"_

_"Yay for me," I say sarcastically "You're the one that's supposed to convince me to go back, telling me about Peeta makes me want to stay away,"_

_"Gale's been too, he thinks of you as his little sister, you mean a lot to him, it would crush him if you left," she says, I sigh at look at her, she's wearing a hospital gown and her hair is down, it's not knotted telling me that someone has brushed my hair, no doubt my mother. I notice that all three of us are wearing the same thing._

_"Do you know what really surprised me?" she asks, I shake my head "Glimmer came to visit,"_

_"No!" I say in disbelief_

_"She did, she came and apologised about the text, she knew that you hadn't done anything with that Jason what's his face,"_

_"Wow," I say_

_"I know, I was just as surprised as you are,"_

_"Kinda makes sense, seeing as we are the same person," she nods in agreement_

_"So what's it gonna be?" she asks_

_"How bad would it be if I left the room?" I ask_

_"Your mother would kill herself eventually, Cato will end up in jail for trying to kill the girl that did all that to him whilst refusing to admit that you're dead, Clove would try to kill anybody that ever mentions you but show no emotions when anyone was around, when she's alone she would cry… a lot. Peeta would lock himself in his room and refuse not to do anything but cry and go on your Facebook wall and look at the many pictures of you. Gale would get a tattoo of your name over his heart and become a loner, not wanting to talk to anybody,"_

_"Will any good come out my death?" I ask_

_"Glimmer won't wear super short skirts or low cut shirts anymore, she turns into a nun,"_

_"At least one good thing would come out of my life," I shrug and the other me smiles_

_"But would you really give it all up? Leave all the people you love behind? And Cato…"_

_"What about Cato?" I eye her suspiciously_

_"If you want you find out what will happen why don't you find out for yourself, I mean the future changes, you change it,"_

_I think for a second._

_"Don't call me crazy but I think I you're wrong… about Cato I mean, he can barely talk about it let alone try to kill her," I say and she shrugs_

_"Time to choose Katniss."_

* * *

**CLOVE**

* * *

I sigh and rest my head on Gale's shoulder.

"What are we gonna do if…" I ask

"I don't know," says Gale "It's gonna be hard," he says

"Things won't be the same without her," Peeta says from the other side of the room

"She's taught me so much," I say and Cato raises an eyebrow "She taught me that after everything bad there has to be something good to come, I believe her exact words were 'After my shit storm of a life I have to believe that something good will come along,'"

"Sounds like Katniss," says Cato "I told her things that I have never told anyone, it's weird,"

"Tell me about it," says Peeta "She's completely crazy but she's able to bring so much happiness to anyone just because of the way she is,"

"On her first day she was like every guy's biggest dream," says Gale

"She was like everyone's goal," says Peeta "Everyone on the soccer team wanted to _do her_,"

"You included," I say "But she's more than that, I can truly say she's my best friend,"

"And the craziest person I have ever met," says Gale

"I'm not _that_ crazy," says a familiar voice, we all immediately turn and look at the girl smirking at us from the bed. I immediately bolt to her bed and give her a hug, she winces in pain and I jump off of her.

"Sorry," I apologise

"How long have I been out?" she croaks and everyone laughs

"Eleven hours," says Gale looking at the clock, it's one in the morning.

"You really scared us, you know," I say

"Yeah, the doctors told us that you might not make it through the night," says Peeta "They put you in a medically induced coma to increase the chances of you surviving,"

"Fuck the doctors," she says "If I wanted to die I'd have died by now, and did they give me pain medicine? Because it doesn't fucking feel like it!" she moans and we laugh

"What's with the laughing?" asks Mrs Everdeen walking in, back from getting a coffee, she gasps and runs to Katniss, hugging her tight.

"Can't breathe," Katniss say "Pain in stomach," then Katniss' mom let's go of her

"Sorry, I'll get the nurse to give you some more painkillers," says her mother with a smile, she goes back out the room with a smile on her face.

"We're glad you didn't die," smiles Gale, I roll my eyes

"You'll have to excuse Gale," I say "He has a certain way with words,"

"I heard that," he squeals

"You were supposed to!" says Katniss and I smirk.

The nurse comes to check on Katniss, she gives her some more painkillers and we sit gossiping whilst Katniss' mom is outside calling Marvel and his dad to explain how Katniss is doing, they visited a lot, they were worried about her.

Katniss explain what happened with that little girl, Rue, the freshman; she's almost in tears explaining that she sung the valley song to her as she died. The whole time we hug Katniss and tell her that she's in a better place now, but I can't help but think that my best friend is a hero, she tried to help Rue by putting herself last, she could of got killed saving Rue, she didn't know that was another gunman.

Either way, my best friend is a hero.

"You would not believe who visited you," I say and we explain about Glimmer coming to visit Katniss, yet she doesn't seem too surprised.


	16. Chapter 16

Hey guys, it was response to the last chapter, the feels in that last chapter were pretty awesome, so for that reason, the best reviewer goes to **MaximumAngel1** thanks to everyone for reviewing. I still haven't decided whether I like the chapter or not yet but I think the next one will be pretty good I know that- Prom and Exams! Gah! And sorry that it's a little shorter than usual 1,336 words in this.

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Sixteen (CLOVE)

Katniss has been off school for a week after her operation and she's been recovering, which basically meant that she's been lying in bed all day and only moving downstairs to watch TV. We've been visiting her every night to give her the homework she's missed, we even practice a little.

Katniss comes back to school today and as soon as her bike pulls up she is bombarded with people. I push through the crowd and grab her hand, pulling her out.

She cradles her stomach with her hands, trying to go unnoticed.

"You ok?" I ask

"I'm fine," she says as we head to her locker. She stares in disbelief at the amount of get well soon stickers on her locker; I help her peel them off before she shoves her bike helmet in and retrieves her books, she takes a painkiller when Peeta and Gale show up.

"Where's Cato?" she asks, I smirk and she rolls her eyes at me

"He's running late," answers Gale

"How you feeling?" asks Peeta

"I'm ok," she says

"Exams start in a week," moans Gale

"Why don't we all go study at the pizza place later?" I ask

"That'd be good," says Peeta

"And we can talk about prom!" I squeal clapping my hands, Katniss rolls her eyes again "What?"

"I'm not sure that I even wanna go," she says

"Why not?" asks Peeta, he's looking slightly pissed

"I don't really like dances," she says dismissively fiddling with something in her locker

"That's because your old school was full of idiots," I say "Come on please!" I beg

"Fine, I'll go," she says "But I'm not getting a date, which is my compromise!" she says to me, Peeta looks a little sad, will he give her a break? Seriously! The guy is obsessed!

"We have a deal," I say shaking her hand "We can all go together!" I squeal, Katniss pulls out her math book from her locker and a pink post it note falls out. Gale picks it off the floor and hands it to Katniss, but just before Katniss looks at it, Peeta whips it out of her hands and crunches it up.

"What was that?" Katniss asks Peeta

"It was one of my post it notes from the other week, when we did the flashcard thing," he says and Katniss eyes him suspiciously

"Ok…" she replies closing her locker as Cato joins the group

"Hey," he smiles "How you doing?" he asks Katniss

"Do I have a sign on my forehead telling people to ask me that? Cause it's really starting to piss me off," she snaps "Sorry, it's just that's what everybody's been saying. Mark, my mom, Clove, Gale, Peeta, you, some random person that hugged me when I got off my bike, needless to say my Facebook is covered in it, anyone would think that I nearly died," we all chuckle

"To music?" I ask and everyone agrees, reaching the music hallway Katniss slows down and stops talking to us, that girl Rue… she died here, in Katniss' arms. "You ok?" I whisper and she nods silently as we enter the music room. The bell rings as we take our seats.

"Good morning," chimes Cinna "Exams are next week!" he says and everyone moans "Then there's prom," he sings that and we laugh.

He gets us to continue doing our projects of doing something to perform to the entire class when he comes over to our table.

"I would love for you guys to perform at prom," he says sitting on a table "Would you be up to that?" one by one all of us agrees "I mean, I know you have to study and everything but do you think that you could come up with three songs, perfect for the night?"

"I have an idea," says Peeta.

For the rest of the music lesson we come up with three songs that would be awesome to mix up for prom.

* * *

Katniss

* * *

"Cheers," we say clinking our glasses together at the pizza place

"Let's talk prom," says Clove and I moan "Oh shut up and eat your pizza," she tells me "Ok, so transport?"

"Limos are boring," I complain

"Fine, no limo," Clove says "But I'm not going in Cato's truck,"

"You'll probably be around mine anyways, so why don't we go in on my bike?"

"Yes!" she says fist pumping "What about you guys?" she asks after composing herself

"One momento," says Gale doing something on his phone, his phone dings signally that he has just received a text. "We can go in this," he says showing a picture of a very expensive looking red four seater sports car

"How the hell did you manage that?" shouts Clove

"My step dad owes me," he says with a smirk

"Well we're the band and everything; shouldn't we look a little different, compared to other prom go-ers?" I ask

"You're right," says Cato "Got any ideas?"

"We should wear those old black sunglasses that they used to wear in the sixties or whatever," says Clove and we all nod, just as we go off topic and I think I've avoided a conversation about dresses Clove interrupts "Katniss, we're going dress shopping this weekend!" she calls.

Damn it.

* * *

We're in a shop at the mall and Clove is demanding that we try on everything that we can afford… which is a lot of dresses… joy…

I refuse to try on anything pink or revealing which Clove huffs at, this narrows it down, not by much. I stay in the changing denying Clove a look at any dress until eventually she shoves a red dress into the fitting room. She chose her dress twelve dresses ago, it's emerald green and flows down to her feet with viscose, it has a one shoulder strap and she looks absolutely gorgeous in it.

"This won't look right," I shout to her

"Just put it on!" she shouts back

"I could wear jeans and no one would care!"

"I would care! And so would Peeta!"

"I already told Peeta that I wanted us to stay friends, nothing else,"

"He still looked pretty pissed when you said that you weren't looking for a date!"

"Tough shit, I got three asks in gym and another two in English! I turned them all down!"

"What about Cato?"

"What about Cato?" I ask sticking my head out of the fitting room, keeping the rest of me covered by the curtain as I'm in my underwear.

"It's just the way he looks at you and gah!" she says flopping on the car

"Cato's just a friend,"

"You said that about Peeta,"

"And look where that got me!"

"But you and Cato!" she sighs "I've never seen him talk to anyone like he talks to you, I've known his since middle school and it seems like he can just talk to you easily, with the rest of us it's kinda awkward,"

"It's just cause we've both had a shit storm of a life,"

"Either way he likes you!"

"Does not!"

"Does too, Gale gave him advice about you to Cato,"

"Don't lie to me, Clove!"

"I'm not lying; he told Gale that he kept getting this weird feeling around you,"

"Probably vomit, and how do you know this anyway?"

"Gale told me," I gasp in realisation, I've been too busy looking after myself not to notice Gale and Clove!

"YOU LIKE GALE!" I shout

"Just try the dress on, Everdeen,"

"Fine," I say closing the curtain "But you didn't deny it."

I slip into a red dress, it reaches the floor and all I can think is that I can wear my converse with this without anyone noticing. It's a simple red dress with a sweetheart neckline and has plastic crystals around the waist; it hugs my curves and makes me look more mature. I step out from the fitting room and Clove gasps.

"You're buying that one!"

And I guess I had no say in the matter.


	17. Chapter 17

Hey guys, this is the longest chapter I have ever posted! EVER! It's 3,523 words long and has not one not two but three songs! I don't anything except the plot. Best reviewer for the last chapter goes to **Live Dance and Hope**, thanks to everyone for reviewing, and for those that think that this story is ending it's not ending yet, there's still a lot of a story to tell!

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Seventeen (Katniss)

"Exams are killing me," complains Gale as he flops onto the bench, we're sitting on a table on the quad.

"Tell me about it," groans Clove angrily munching a carrot stick

"Math was definitely the worse," says Cato and I agree

"We have one more exam and that's it," I sigh "Then I can sleep,"

"Same here," says Peeta

"Oh no, we've got to get ready for prom," says Clove

"Joy…" I say and Cato laughs, I roll my eyes at him

"So what are you guys doing over the summer? Before we all head off to college?" asks Peeta

"Sleeping," I say and Clove rolls her eyes at me "Fine _and_ eating," I can see Cato smiling at me "I don't know, I might head home to see my aunt and uncle, get a summer job… you know… normal stuff,"

"Oh no, you're no leaving," says Gale

"Why?" I groan

"Because I got us to play at a festival!" he cheers

"WHAT!" I shout

"You know, it's the one by the beach, it'll be like a holiday, except we're camping,"

"I hate camping," moans Clove

"I never fit in tents," complains Cato and suddenly everyone bursts into laughter "What?" he asks "I'm too tall!"

"Ok, that sounded so wrong," cackles Clove, the bell rings.

"Good luck guys," says Clove.

Last exam, just breathe Katniss.

* * *

"SCHOOL'S OUT BITCHES!" shouts Clove as we exit school, I shush her and she laughs "The after party is at Glimmer's so that means there will be some definite fun!" squeals Clove, I laugh again and toss her the spare helmet.

When we arrive at my house, our dresses are awaiting for us, hanging up in my closet. The guys will be here at seven for photos, by order of my mother, and we'll drive to prom when she's done.

We do our hair and make-up, Clove gives me a disapproving face as I put my converse on under my dress but shrugs and laughs at my rebelliousness. She curls the end of my hair into large ringlets and does an awesome French braid for my fringe, which I'm attempting to grow out. She grips it in place and straightens her own hair before pulling out the bag of doom aka the make-up bag.

She lines my eyes with brown liquid eyeliner which makes the grey of my eyes look amazing, she gives me some light pink lipstick and touches it up with a clear lip gloss.

Then she moves onto herself, she lines her eyes with black eyeliner and does a perfect flick on the end making her eyes look dangerous yet sexy then she completes the fierce look with red lipstick. She takes out her phone before pouting and telling me to pose; she takes several photos and sends the one I like to me. I change it to my phone background as Clove doesn't want to upload any photos to Facebook yet.

"I don't want Peeta or Cato to see you," I groan at how idiotic she sound, truth is that Cato and I have actually been hanging out a lot, we'd sometimes go jogging and the other times we study for exams. My phone rings and I look at the caller ID.

"Hey Gale," I say

"We're downstairs with your mother and she's talking about you and Peeta saying that you make a great couple,"

"Joy…"

"Just come downstairs," he says and hangs up

"We're wanted downstairs," I say simply and Clove smiles "Anyways my mother is practically molesting Peeta so we better get down there quick," she laughs and slips on her heels, she's now the same height as me, Clove is pretty short…

We exit my room and go downstairs, the guys gawp. Gale is the first to speak.

"Wow Clove, I didn't think you could look so much like a girl," she slaps the back of his head

"Katniss, you look-" Peeta starts but Cato cuts him off

"Beautiful," I smile and I do admit to blushing, a little…

"Not so bad yourself,"

"PICTURES!" shouts my mother "Group photo! Everyone stand in front of the stairs!" we stand in front of the stairs and let my mother take a nice few photos before we make funny faces.

"Gale, get with the girls," says my mother, Clove and I give each other a look before we kiss him on the cheek as my mother takes the photo. Gale laughs and turns bright red; my mother then takes a photo of Gale pointing to the lipsticks stains on his cheeks.

"Katniss get with Peeta," my mother says, I awkwardly stand next to Peeta who wraps his arm around my waist; I look in disgust at the positioning of his arm. After the camera flashes Clove grabs the camera from my mother and laughs at the picture.

"Katniss, your face is just priceless!" she laughs

"Clove get with Gale!" she stares at me, as Gale comes back in from the kitchen after wiping off the lipstick stains.

"Come here short arse," he says to her as he wraps his arm around her waist, they both flush a light shade of pink. Cato laughs hysterically at Clove and she slaps him around the back of the head.

"Cato get with Katniss," she smirks and Cato glares at her

"I hate you," he mutters to her before walking over to me "You look amazing Kat," he smiles wrapping his arm around my shoulder, my mother takes a picture.

"Thanks," I say "But Clove wasn't too impressed with the footwear," he raises an eyebrow and I lift my dress slightly revealing my converse. Cato laughs.

"That is so you," he laughs, and a flash of a camera reveals that my mother has taken another picture. Cato blushes and I run over to Clove and grab her and pull her away from the rest of the guys, my mom takes photos of us posing as we talk subtly.

"What was that all about?" I ask

"You are so dense," she replies

"Why?" I ask

"You have two guys practically fighting over you!"

"No I don't,"

"Whatever you say," she says and I roll my eyes

"So you ready to go?" I ask Clove she smiles meaning yes

"YOU GUYS WE'RE LEAVING!" shouts Clove, Gale says something and Clove goes over to him to mess his hair up. My mother pulls me to one side.

"Are you two coming back here after the after party?" she asks

"Probably, but we're definitely coming before to change out our dresses,"

"Ok, just don't do anything I wouldn't do,"

"Considering that you've been missing for a couple nights after several dates with Mark you might want to rethink what you just said," my mother blushes "Don't worry I'll be fine," I smile

"And what's this I hear about a festival from Gale?"

"I know, it's crazy, Gale's someone got us booked to perform at the beach festival in August,"

"And where would you be sleeping?"

"Tents…" I say "But I'm not sure if I even want to go, I mean there will be so many people,"

"Katniss, you sing beautifully, in fact your music teacher contacted me about the Valentine's dance a while ago and said that your performance was spectacular, don't give up on something you love,"

"I won't, thanks mom,"

"Now go have fun!" she shouts, I smile and hug her before shouting to Clove.

"CLOVE STOP MOLESTING GALE AND GRAB YOUR HELMET!" she stops ruffling Gale's hair and looks at me before we all burst out laughing.

She grabs her helmet and I help her clip it on before doing my own. We get on the bike just as the guys exit and we follow behind them.

We arrive at prom and I park my bike. Gale gets out the car and hands us our sunglasses, he even got them personalised with our names on the side. We all put them on then enter the gym.

Lights are flashing and the music blaring, Cinna greets us.

"My, you all look amazing!" he smiles "You're on in ten minutes!" he smiles before walking off looking for someone.

"Do you think we can bring a McDonald's to prom?" I ask as my stomach growls

"You only ever think about your stomach!" moans Peeta annoyed

"I think they're got popcorn and that over there by the punch," says Cato "You guys go grab a table," he says and he holds his arm out to me "Milady," he smiles "Would you like to accompany me to the snack table?"

"Thank you kind sir, I would be honoured," I say taking his arm much to Peeta's disapproving face. "Did you see his face?" I ask bursting into laugh when we get to the food table

"I know, it was hilarious,"

"Sorry about the whole food thing, I have a big appetite,"

"It's fine; you're actually one of the few girls that actually likes food without having worry about calories,"

"Thanks?" Cato smiles and gets me a bowl of popcorn before he pours everybody some punch and I grab two cups from him so that he doesn't drop any. We walk back to the table and hand out the punch, we down it together knowing for well that it has already been spiked with something alcoholic.

I sit nibbling on my popcorn until there's about five minutes until we go on. We run backstage and grab our stuff; Cato gets his guitar, Gale the bass, Clove drumsticks and me a microphone.

"You ready for this?" whispers Cato, his breath tickling the back of my neck

"I'm ready, just a little nervous, I'll be fine,"

"Don't freak out this time," calls Peeta

"I'm started to get annoyed with him," I tell Cato

"If you want someone to punch him in the face, I'm here for ya," he smiles and I smile back, just then Josh (Hutcherson) pushes past us.

"Hey Katniss," he says hugging me "And Cato, right?" he asks and Cato nods

"What are you doing here?" I ask "I thought you were going back to Kentucky for summer with your family,"

"I was invited to introduce this band called Mockingjay, have you seen them?"

"Look at them," says Cato

"Wow," he says "That's really cool, I've heard _a lot_ of good things about you guys," he smiles "And might I say that you look really pretty tonight, Katniss, your date is a lucky guy,"

"We didn't bring one," I say "No date policy, Peeta was kinda pissed,"

"Just say the word and I'll be on him like a hawk, anyways I better introduce you guys, nice to see you again Katniss,"

"You too," I say as he walks onstage to cheers, Cato huffs in annoyance "What?" I ask him

"All the girls are practically tripping over themselves to talk to him,"

"I feel sorry for their dates," I say and he chuckles

"Good evening Panem High School Prom go-ers!" shouts Josh into the microphone "Now I'm here to you to introduce a band that you've all heard about, that's right it's Mockingjay!" he shouts and we swagger on as he walks off, he gives me a charming smile as he goes past and a nod and I smile back.

"Hey guys," I say confidently into the microphone "Does everyone look awesome?" everyone cheers at that "We are going to perform three songs, all of which will get this party started!" they cheer again

_Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy  
Grab my glasses, I'm out the door, I'm gonna hit this city  
Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack  
'Cause when I leave for the night, I ain't coming back_

_I'm talking pedicure on our toes, toes  
Trying on all our clothes, clothes  
Boys blowing up our phones, phones  
Drop-topping, playing our favorite CDs  
Pulling up to the parties  
Trying to get a little bit tipsy_

_Don't stop, make it pop  
DJ, blow my speakers up  
Tonight, I'mma fight  
'Til we see the sunlight  
Tick tock on the clock  
But the party don't stop, no_

I'm bouncing around the stage head banging with Gale, hanging with Peeta and Clove and dancing with Cato.

_Don't stop, make it pop  
DJ, blow my speakers up  
Tonight, I'mma fight  
'Til we see the sunlight  
Tick tock, on the clock  
But the party don't stop, no_

_Ain't got a care in world, but got plenty of beer  
Ain't got no money in my pocket, but I'm already here  
And now, the dudes are lining up cause they hear we got swagger  
But we kick 'em to the curb unless they look like Mick Jagger_

_I'm talking about everybody getting crunk, crunk  
Boys tryin' to touch my junk, junk  
Gonna smack him if he getting too drunk, drunk_

_Now, now, we go until they kick us out, out  
Or the police shut us down, down  
Police shut us down, down  
Po-po shut us_

The lights go off for a brief second before flashing back on and bringing us back to life.

_Don't stop, make it pop  
DJ, blow my speakers up  
Tonight, I'mma fight  
'Til we see the sunlight  
Tick tock on the clock  
But the party don't stop, no_

_Don't stop, make it pop  
DJ, blow my speakers up  
Tonight, I'mma fight  
'Til we see the sunlight  
Tick tock on the clock  
But the party don't stop, no_

I'm next to Peeta at his keyboard and he leans forward towards me.

_DJ, you build me up  
You break me down  
My heart, it pounds  
Yeah, you got me_

_With my hands up  
You got me now  
You got that sound  
Yeah, you got me_

_DJ, you build me up  
You break me down  
My heart, it pounds  
Yeah, you got me_

_With my hands up  
Put your hands up  
Put your hands up_

He's just about to lean in to kiss me.

_Now, the party don't start 'til I walk in_

I push his face sideways with my hand and walk to the front of the stage and start dancing with Cato again. Peeta looks pissed, to say the least.

_Don't stop, make it pop  
DJ, blow my speakers up  
Tonight, I'mma fight  
'Til we see the sunlight  
Tick tock on the clock  
But the party don't stop, no_

_Don't stop, make it pop  
DJ, blow my speakers up  
Tonight, I'mma fight  
'Til we see the sunlight  
Tick tock on the clock  
But the party don't stop, no_

The audience cheers and we brace ourselves for the next song which we remixed up.

_He's got a Rolling Stones tee  
But he only knows one song  
They think they're from the sixty's  
But they were born in 1991_

_There's a man standing in the corner  
No one knows quite where he's from  
There's a fight between Jill and Lorna  
She's got a tattoo of a peace sign on her thumb_

At this point I'm standing next to Gale and we're holding up our thumbs.

_All that and the night has just begun_

_So stay out tonight and see through my eyes  
Stay out this time, and we'll be home by five  
Stay out, stay out, stay out  
Stay out, stay out, stay out_

_Checkered shirts and chino trousers  
Is this some kind of uniform?  
It seems that they think they're gangsters  
They barely started 6th form_

_She thinks she's in Barbados  
But outside it's minus three  
There's a guy outside I'm avoiding_

I look at Peeta when I say that line…

_I think that he shares a mystery  
That time when he whispered to me_

_Stay out tonight and see through my eyes  
Stay out this time, and we'll be home by five  
Stay out, stay out, stay out  
Stay out, stay out, stay out_

_Cause there's people falling in love around you  
And there's people falling over their own shoes_

_All these boys and girls are people  
Looking for someone to be  
All these boys and girls are people  
Waiting for their hearts to beat_

_All these boys and girls are people  
Looking for someone to be  
All these boys and girls are people  
Waiting for their hearts to beat_

_Stay out tonight and see through my eyes  
Stay out this time, and we'll be home by five  
Stay out, stay out, stay out  
Stay out, stay out, stay out_

_He's got a Rolling Stones tee  
But he only knows one song  
They think they're from the sixty's  
But they were born in 1991_

We kick off into our last song at full pelt, this one mostly relies on Peeta with his awesome keyboard skills.

_I had the time of my life  
And I never felt this way before  
And I swear this is true  
And I owe it all to you_

_Oh, I had the time of my life  
And I never felt this way before  
And I swear this is true  
And I owe it all to you_

_Dirty bit  
Dirty bit_

_I came up in here rock, light a fire, make it hot  
I don't wanna take no pictures, I just want to take some shots  
So come on, let's go, let's lose control  
Let's do it all night 'til we can't do it no more_

_People rockin' to the sound, turn it up and watch it pound  
We gon' rock it to the top until the roof come burnin' down  
Yeah, it's hot in here, the temperature  
Has got these ladies gettin' freakier_

_I got freaky, freaky baby, I was chillin' with my ladies  
I didn't come to get bougie, I came here to get crazy  
I was born to get wild, that's my style  
If you didn't know that, well, baby, now you know now_

_'Cause I'm havin' a good time with you  
I'm tellin' you_

_I had the time of my life  
And I never felt this way before  
And I swear this is true  
And I owe it all to you_

_Oh, I had the time of my life  
And I never felt this way before  
And I swear this is true  
And I owe it all to you_

_Dirty bit  
Dirty bit_

_All these girls they like my swagger, they callin' me Mick Jagger  
I be rollin' like a stone, jet setter, jet lagger  
We ain't messin' with no maggots, messin' with the baddest  
Chicks in the club, honey, what's up?_

_Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the baddest of them all?  
Yeah, it's gotta be the apple, I'm the Mac daddy y'all  
Haters better step back, ladies, download your app  
I'm the party application, rock it just like that_

_'Cause I'm havin' a good time with you  
I'm tellin' you_

_I had the time of my life  
And I never felt this way before  
And I swear this is true  
And I owe it all to you_

_Oh, I had the time of my life  
And I never felt this way before  
And I swear this is true  
And I owe it all to you_

_I had the time of my life  
And I never felt this way before  
And I swear this is true  
And I owe it all to you_

_Oh, I had the time of my life  
And I never felt this way before  
And I swear this is true  
And I owe it all to you_

I'm next to Cato and we're looking into each other's eyes, I never knew his eyes were so… blue. Cato says the next bit into the microphone.

_Dirty bit._

Then the little do-hickeys at the front of the stage blast up smoke and everything goes dark yet I'm still attached to Cato's amazingly blue eyes.

The lights come back up and Cato hugs me.

"You did it!" he shouts spinning me around.

"We did it," I say as he puts me down, Peeta's already off stage… he must be pissed. Clove and Gale jump over to us.

"Where'd Peeta go?" asks Gale

"I don't know," I say

"I know why," smirks Clove "He tried to kiss Katniss during the first song but you pushed him away!" I roll my eyes and we make our way off the stage. Peeta's at the punchbowl. Clove gives me a look and I roll my eyes and go over to Peeta.

"Hey," I say taking off the sunglasses that Peeta has already removed

"Hey yourself," he says grumpily

"Seriously, Peeta?" I say

"Yes, seriously!" he argues "Look Katniss, I'm not sorry for what I did on that stage, I really like you,"

"And I told you that I wanted to stay friends,"

"Friends kiss each other," says Peeta "You kissed Gale,"

"Yeah, as a joke, anyways Gale's a total pimp, it doesn't count!"

"And what was that hug with Cato about?"

"It was a hug, not freaking sex on the stage!"

"You're not even denying that you like him anymore!"

"What do you care? I told you that I wanted us to be friends, stop being insanely jealous, it doesn't become you," I say walking off outside, I need fresh air.

_Ugh Peeta, you're killing me here._


	18. Chapter 18

Hey guys, thanks for the several reviews the last chapter's winner goes to... **little blessing**, but thanks to everyone that reviewed, this chapter is 2,422 words long and continues at prom and onto the after party, things get a little... awkward...

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Eighteen

I take in the warmth of the July night; it'll nearly be a year soon, although this is not exactly how I planned my prom night; avoiding Peeta and getting into arguments. But there were definite plus sides, I mean being on that stage was the best fun I could ever have especially being with my friends, excluding Peeta… maybe.

I sigh and soak up some more of the stuffy summer air. At least school was over, we just had to attend graduation next week and it's all over. However if I had to share a tent with Peeta at this festival, I'm buying another tent.

"Katniss, what are you doing out here?" asks Peeta, who's now stuck to being my ever annoying shadow

"I could ask you the same," I say monotone, the barriers are up and I'm not even looking him in the eye, one look at those bright blue bottomless pits and I'll turn to mush. Do your best Mellark.

"I'm sorry about what I said in there,"

"You should be," I say

"Ok, ok, I was wrong but I was telling the truth, I really do like you, Katniss,"

"Well it's not mutual," I huff

"Can we at least be friends? It'll be awkward for the band if we can't even look each other in the eye," I can't deny that he's right, because he is, it would be awkward and it could affect the others and I don't want it to do that.

"What are you suggesting?" I muse

"Truce?" he says holding out his hand

"Fine, truce," I say shaking it but inside he pulls me into a hug, he wraps his arms around my waist in a very intimate way which I'm not particularly enjoying, his breath tickles the side of my neck and I become very rigid.

"I won't give up on you, Katniss Everdeen, you're too good to lose," and with that he's gone back inside leaving me outside and even more confused than ever. I huff in annoyance and go inside myself; suddenly I'm bombarded by Clove.

"Where the hell were you? Some hot guys were looking for you," she winks

"I was getting some air," I say

"Well suck it up, cause some guy called Thom wants to talk to you and he's very attractive, so smile for the cameras sweetheart cause you are all he wants to talk about," she says pushing me forward into some guy.

I step back and apologise, I spin around to look for Clove but she's disappeared, probably still watching from some hiding place she found. Bitch.

"Hey, I'm Thom, you're Katniss Everdeen!" he flashes me a charming smile and I give him a small one in return. "I was literally just talking about you to Clove,"

"Thanks?" I say but it sounds questioning

"You were on fire up on that stage and your voice… just wow,"

"Thanks," I say

"And did my eyes deceive me? Under your very pretty dress are you wearing converse?" I blush and nod slightly he chuckles "I'm in a lot of classes with Cato, you could say he's my best friend," he says, I am fully aware that Cato doesn't exactly call us his best friends and that he says he was close to a boy in his math class, but I had to admit he barely talks about Thom…

"Oh cool…" I say awkwardly

"Got any plans for the summer?" he asks

"Well Gale's got us signed up to this festival at the beach for a week, so we'll be roughing it, in a tent for a bit,"

"Cool,"

"THOM?" I hear a shout and turn to see Delly Cartwright aka the neediness girl in the world, no jokes.

"So you came here with Delly?" I ask with a smirk

"Yeah, somehow I managed to put the invitation to prom into her locker and not yours… did you know that your lockers are next to each other?"

"Smooth," I laugh just then Delly comes along and latches onto her arm

"Hey Katniss, Thom this is my locker neighbour," she smiles

"Yeah, I knew that…" he says awkwardly and before Delly can engage me into some more awkward conversation an arm slips around my waist.

"I swear Peeta I'm going to punch you in the face," I say turning to see Cato, thus meaning that I'm leaving the conversation with Delly and Thom who walk off somewhere to dance "Not Peeta," I say awkwardly "Sorry,"

"So what's up? Peeta getting you down?" he asks

"More like he's bring my lunch _up_," I say "We got into an argument after our performance and I went outside to get some air, we called a truce outside and he told me that he won't give up on me because apparently I'm too good to lose," Cato chuckles "Shut up, jerk," I say elbowing him in the ribs, just then the song A-Team by Ed Sheeran comes on.

"I love this song!" Cato shouts "Dance with me," he says pulling me over to an empty space on the dance floor.

"It's not like I have a choice," I say.

He puts a hand on my waist and it sits there comfortably, I rest my hand on his arm and our other hands hold each other, he twirls me around and then back into his grip...

"And they say she's in the class A-Team!" sings Cato, quite badly I may add. I laugh and rest my forehead against his upper chest. "What's wrong, Princess?"

"Princess?" I question now looking up at him, my hands have somehow found their way around his neck and his around my waist.

"Yes, what's wrong? Don't you like my singing?"

"Oh no, I couldn't hear you, I heard cats being strangled, we gotta see if that kitty's ok," I mock

"Shut up," he laughs "And if you don't like my singing just sing for me," he smirks, I shake my head "Oh come on, please? For me?"

"Fine," I huff

It's halfway through the song but he insists for me to sing. I roll my eyes and start with the new verse.

_Ripped gloves, raincoat  
Tried to swim and stay afloat  
Dry house, wet clothes  
Loose change, bank notes  
Weary-eyed, dry throat  
Call girl, no phone_

He looks at me as if I'm not only the only girl in the room but the only girl in the world. He smiles slightly as his icy blue orbs stare into my grey ones.

_And they say  
She's in the Class A Team  
Stuck in her daydream  
Been this way since eighteen  
But lately her face seems  
Slowly sinking, wasting  
Crumbling like pastries  
And they scream  
The worst things in life come free to us  
Cause we're just under the upper hand  
And go mad for a couple grams  
And she don't want to go outside tonight  
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland  
Or sells love to another man  
It's too cold outside  
For angels to fly  
An angel will die  
Covered in white  
Closed eye  
And hoping for a better life  
This time, we'll fade out tonight  
Straight down the line_

_And they say  
She's in the Class A Team  
Stuck in her daydream  
Been this way since eighteen  
But lately her face seems  
Slowly sinking, wasting  
Crumbling like pastries  
They scream  
The worst things in life come free to us  
And we're all under the upper hand  
Go mad for a couple grams  
And we don't want to go outside tonight  
And in a pipe we fly to the Motherland  
Or sell love to another man  
It's too cold outside  
For angels to fly  
Angels to fly  
To fly, fly  
For angels to fly, to fly, to fly  
Or angels to die_

Suddenly we're leaning forward. I step back, dazed.

"I'm going to get some more punch, want some?"

"Uh, no, I'm going to see if Thom needs rescuing…" he says awkwardly before slipping off into the crowd.

I wasn't the only one that felt that right? Well he must have, which was followed by the whiplash of total awkwardness.

Truth was I didn't want to ruin our friendship like I did with Peeta, but considering the swirling pool of awkwardness just pulled both of us in into our almost immediate doom I think it's too late for that.

I mean I felt something with Cato, which is definitely a lot more than I did with Peeta, that's good right?

Ugh. Sometimes I just want to disappear.

A hand latches onto my arm and spins me around where I find Clove smirking.

"Hey I saw you dancing with Cato, pretty hot moves Kat," did that mean that she saw our nearly kiss? And the awkward aftermath?

"Um, thank you?" she laughs

"I saw you two talking whilst dancing before I had to pee so did anything happen?" she winks

"Nope," I lie "Cato was just trying impress me with his singing," I say adding the last part to make me sound more… normal?

"Sucks for you," she laughs and the song Riding Solo by Jason Derulo comes on "Oh my gosh, I love this song! Dance with me!" she pulls me into a clearing and we start dancing. Normally this isn't the kinda song I go for, because well riding solo isn't so much about being alone if you get my drift…

We dance for a couple more songs before the music starts to die down onto the more romantic songs.

"Let's go back to yours," says Clove "So we can get ready for the after party," I give her a smile and we say bye to Gale quickly telling him that we might see him at the party later before I pull Clove out the gym.

We get back and I find my mother watching a movie on the sofa with Mark. I shudder thinking of the things they could have been doing before we got here. Ugh. _Try not to traumatize yourself Katniss._

We rush upstairs and change into something a little more comfortable.

I put on some studded shorts and Clove hands me shirt which shows my stomach, it has no shoulders and it's a tie dye mix of pink and purple. I reluctantly change into it and retie my converse.

I come back out the bathroom to my room tying my hair up into a high ponytail at Clove's request, leaving the braid at the front of my head in.

Clove's also wearing shorts and a baggy jumper; she slips on some sneakers before tying her own hair up into a high ponytail. We grab our phones before heading downstairs; we've decided to walk to Glimmer's seeing as I probably wouldn't be fit enough the drive anyway.

As we walk down the street to Glimmer's house we start talking about the festival.

"We need to work on a set list, we're allowed to perform three songs, and according to Gale there's gonna be this guy there from a recording company just to watch us!" she squeals and I smile, to be honest I wasn't really listening, I was in my own world aka the world where I worry about Cato and our nearly kiss.

I decide to forget about it. I mean, neither of us will want to bring it up, cause I mean that would be just plain awkward and I think I've had enough of awkward for one night.

I snap back into the conversation that Clove has been upholding by herself for the past couple minutes.

"So what did you think of Thom?" she asks with a smirk

"He's nice,"

"And good looking!" she practically shouts, I shush her and she raises her eyebrow for me to answer.

"He was a little preoccupied with Delly to talk much,"

"He came with Delly?"

"Yep," I say popping the p "He says that he meant to put the invite into my locker but he accidently slipped it into Delly's,"

"Well it's understandable, I mean your lockers are next to each other," I nod in agreement

"But I kinda felt sorry for him, Delly just wouldn't let go of his arm,"

"Typical Delly," Clove replies as we walk up the porch of Glimmer's house. It's pretty damn big…

"Katniss!" she beams "Clove!" she hugs us both, lately Glimmer has been a lot less bitchy and a lot more reserved in the clothing department, tonight she's wearing a t-shirt and a pair of shorts which makes her legs look even longer than they already are. She ushers us in, there's more music and One Direction are playing, it's that song that Gale likes. I roll my eyes at the music choice, Clove understands and we make our way into the kitchen to get us something to drink.

I grab a bottle and hand another to Clove. We talk for a while till Thom interrupts us. By this point I've had a couple shots with Clove and some other beers, so I'm not exactly sober, but I'm neither drunk nor tipsy, I'm somewhere in between and the alcohol is definitely doing something to my system, especially seeing as I've had a sudden burst of energy and confidence... maybe even my judgement or rather lack of it...

"Everdeen, hey," he smiles, Clove smirks at us before going into another room to talk to someone. "So after prom I dropped Delly off at her house, she seemed to want to do something a little more than just say goodnight,"

"Wow," I say

"So I confessed to her that the invite was really meant for you," he says biting his lip

"Ooh you heartbreaker," I say

"It's not the fact that she broke down in tears that worried me,"

"And what was?" I ask

"That she practically wants to tear your head off,"

"And why would that be?" I ask fluttering my eyelashes innocently

"Because one you stole away her prom date and two," he stops and smiles at me

"What's two?" I ask confused

"The news of something that she probably doesn't want to hear will be spread around school by tomorrow morning,"

"What something?"

And with that his lips are on mine and somehow I liked it. He's a good kisser, I'll give him that, and he smiles into our kiss.

And all the reminders of Cato and I's near kiss is gone from my mind, only to see that when I pull back that one big fat reminder is a short forty feet away.

Awkward.


	19. Chapter 19

Hey guys, thanks for the reviews and my PM from **heyoimamockingjay**, sorry if i got the wrong name, best reviewer goes to... **little blessing** again, closely followed by **Anna10044 **and **Anthonyyy**. But thanks to everyone for reviewing, this chapter is 2,104 words long... enjoy.. oh and the song is by Paramore but I don't write any good songs so that's what Cato writes... i own nothing but the plot!

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Nineteen

I stare, it was unintentional, and I don't even know Thom that well… I mean, we were properly introduced about an hour ago and we've had one off conversations that mean little or nothing to me. Thom laces his fingers in mine when he sees Cato and pulls me over to him. Just great.

"Hey man," says Thom

"Hi," says Cato deject and he nods to me, I bite the inside of my cheek to stop word vomit from finding its way out. "Gale wants to talk about the set list for the festival," he says to me

"Oh," is all I manage to get out

"Something about Avril Lavigne or whatever," he says and I nod awkwardly "So are you coming?"

"Sure," I say

"Can you give me and the lady a second?" asks Thom and Cato rolls his eyes before going to the kitchen doorway, he leans his back against the door frame and looks into the other room, to wait for me. "Hand me your phone, Everdeen," he says and I reluctantly do, he leans my phone back for me to enter my passcode. 7746. He smiles at the background photo before adding himself to the contacts. He hands me my phone and kisses me on the cheek. "Go sort out your set list," he says, I give him a smile and go to Cato at the door.

"Hey…" I say awkwardly

"Hi," he says not so enthusiastically, my phone dings and I look at the text.

**Be my girlfriend?  
- Thom, the amazingly good kisser ;)**

I smirk at the contact name he saved himself as, I look back through the kitchen at Thom who's now talking to some other guys, he shoots me an award winning smile and I roll my eyes. He raises his eyebrows and points to his phone, I shrug and he mouths 'please?' to me. I smile and nod slowly. He blows me a kiss and the guys he were talking to turn and look. I blush and turn back to Cato.

"What was that all about?" he asks stiffly

"Nothing important," I say "So why does Gale want to talk about the set list now? At a party?"

"Glimmer has a load of CDs and trying to help him choose songs that can capture a wider audience,"

"Like what?"

"I don't know, I just said that they'll like whatever we play cause you're singing it," I blush and immediately feel guilty, especially about or near kiss and him seeing me and Thom…

"So where are we going?" I ask

"To Glimmer's room," he says as I follow him up the stairs. We turn into a room and I'm almost blinded by the amount of pink there is in this room.

"Katniss! Finally!" coos Glimmer, Clove, Peeta and Gale look up from the CDs they were sorting through and Clove smirking. Glimmer rushes over to grab my hand and pull me over to the piles of CDs. I sit across from Clove and in between Glimmer and Gale. Cato sits in between Peeta and Clove.

"So how was your _talk_ with Thom?" smirks Clove

"Eventful," I say, Clove raises an eyebrow

"Oh you mean Thom that brought Delly to prom?" asks Glimmer and I nod, Clove explains the whole wrong locker situation with her.

"It was more than eventful," spits Cato quite rudely

"What happened?" asks Clove now deadly serious

"Nothing!" I shout

"If you can call him groping you up against a wall," huffs Cato, everyone goes wide eyed

"He didn't grope me!" I protest "We just may or may not have kissed…" I say getting quieter and quieter, Clove and Glimmer scream. I cover my ears. "God damn it!" I complain feeling slightly deaf in my left ear from Glimmer's scream. "Can we please just get on with the set list?"

"So tongue or not tongue?" starts Glimmer

"Did he touch your boobs?" asks Clove

"Were you going to go-" I cut them off

"I'm not telling you anything," I say "Please, I'm begging you, let's just do the set list," I say

"Fine," says Glimmer.

We sort through the CDs by simply starting with simple yes's and no's then breaking the yes's into categories then choosing the songs.

I yawn after a while; the party is somehow still going on downstairs with the music blaring. We've picked two songs already but we can't seem to find a third.

"You could try writing a song," suggests Glimmer

"Whatever," I say "I'm tired, and I have to walk home," I complain "Clove you coming back to mine?" I ask

"Sure," I just need to find my jacket she says "See you guys later," she says slipping out of Glimmer's room

"What she said," I say walking after her.

I look at the time on my phone, it's half twelve, my mother certainly won't care seeing as Mark is probably still around.

I go downstairs and find Thom with some guys.

"Everdeen," he says putting his arm over my shoulder and dragging me over to a group of guys, I vaguely remember from our short unmemorable conversation, I recognise one as Thresh and the other as Darius.

"I'm just about to go actually, Clove's getting her jacket," I say

"Sort out the set list?" he asks

"Two songs, we just need one more, Glimmer said something about writing a song but we only have two weeks," I say

"I'm sure you'll find the perfect song," he smiles and kisses my cheek

"Oh and if Glimmer and Clove ask you anything about earlier or just generally us as a whole, do not say anything," he and his friends laugh

"Sure,"

"So Everdeen, Thom has not been able to stop talking about you," says Darius, I roll my eyes

"Is that so?" I ask turning to face him, he blushes

"Yep," says Thresh "He pretty much knows everything about you,"

"Stalker," I smirk

"Katniss, you ready to go?" asks Clove who's putting on her jacket. I nod and say good night to Thom and his friends before we walk back to mine to collapse onto my bed and just sleep.

* * *

Graduation is over; well technically… my mother keeps taking photos of me with my friends and mainly me with Thom, who's got him arm casually around my shoulder as he talks to Darius. I spot Clove and slip out his arm over to Clove and the others.

"Hey," I say

"Hey," says Gale "We thought you went AWOL after your mother partially blinded me with that camera," says Gale and I ruffle his hair whilst saying 'aww'

"So anyone thought of that third song?" I ask and every shakes their heads

"Actually…" says Cato "I kinda wrote a song,"

"Cool, let's go to Gale's and listen to it!" says Clove

"I'm not sure it's very good," he argues

"Doesn't matter," I say "Clove will be honest with you, don't worry," he gives me a small smile, during the last week things have gotten weirdly awkward with Cato. I've decided that we both need to ignore our near kiss because we wouldn't be helping anybody especially now that I'm dating Thom.

"What's the song called?" asks Peeta

"The Only Exception," says Cato "It's like this person is the only exception to the crappy life you lead, that to everything you promised, that this one person is the exception," I know how he feels…

"We have to listen to this!" says Clove and everyone agrees "When's everyone free?"

"I've got a family dinner," I say "With Marvel, my mother and Mark,"

"Good luck," says Clove

"After your dinner you come crash at my place, we could just practice a bit and watch some movies," suggests Gale

"Sure, that works for me," I say.

* * *

I change into a pale green skater dress and a black elastic cardigan; I slip on some plain black flats and braid my hair to my left side. I grab my backpack and shove in a pair of pyjamas and clothes for tomorrow, seeing as I'm staying around Gale's tonight.

My mother and I exit the house to meet Marvel and Mark at the restaurant; I sling my backpack in the boot.

* * *

"How are things with you, Katniss?" asks Mark, he's so formal it's killing me

"Good, the band have a spot to sing three songs at the beach festival next week and we still need a third song so there's a lot of pressure at the moment, but it's nothing major," I say

"What about Thom?" teases Marvel

"Oh shut up," I say

"Who's Thom?" asks Mark

"Katniss' boyfriend," says Marvel and I give him a sharp kick under the table, he manages to suppress his pain and he gives me a look.

"A boyfriend, huh? You guys serious?"

Serious? It was a question I hadn't really come across during the week we'd been dating, I mean I barely know anything about him… but I lean something new every time we talk, it's kinda fun but being serious with Thom, doesn't he mean like marriage and children? God no, not yet, I'm heading off the college when summer ends, granted that Thom and I are going to the same college and everything, but being serious with him never really crossed my mind.

"We've been a dating a week," I give as my answer and that seems to settle him for now anyways

"So how did you two meet?" he asks

"He's one of Cato's friends so we talked a bit," it wasn't a lie, but it had nothing to do with Cato…

"Ah," he says.

The meal passes with questions about college and what I'm majoring in and all that even though I'm still undecided, the process happens again but this time the questions come from my mother to Marvel.

* * *

When the meal is over, my mother drops me off at Gale's house, I notice that Cato's truck is already here, and I hear shouts from inside that tell me that I'm the last to arrive. I don't even bother to knock, I just walk straight in, they're all by the TV in the living room arguing over something but when I enter they stop.

"Wow, never thought I'd see the day that Katniss Everdeen would be wearing a dress without me having to force her," says Clove and I roll my eyes, I go to the bathroom and change into my pyjamas which consists of an oversized t-shirt and fabric shorts.

I come back out the bathroom untying my braid, I flip my hair up into a messy bun and join the others.

"How was the dinner?" asks Peeta, being thoughtful

"Annoying, all Mark was asking me about was Thom," I complain "So are we gonna hear this song or what?" I ask Cato.

We set up the equipment in Gale's garage and Cato directs everyone. He starts by giving Clove the beat and getting the others to join in, he hands me a sheet of lyrics.

_When I was younger, I saw my daddy cry  
And curse at the wind  
He broke his own heart and I watched  
As he tried to reassemble it_

_And my momma swore that  
She would never let herself forget  
And that was the day that I promised  
I'd never sing of love if it does not exist_

_But darling, you are the only exception  
You are the only exception  
You are the only exception  
You are the only exception_

_Maybe I know, somewhere deep in my soul  
That love never lasts  
And we've got to find other ways to make it alone  
Or keep a straight face_

_And I've always lived like this  
Keeping a comfortable distance  
And up until now I had sworn to myself that I'm content with loneliness  
Because none of it was ever worth the risk_

_But you are the only exception  
You are the only exception  
You are the only exception  
You are the only exception_

_I've got a tight grip on reality  
But I can't let go of what's in front of me here  
I know you're leaving in the morning when you wake up  
Leave me with some kind of proof, it's not a dream, oh_

_You are the only exception  
You are the only exception  
You are the only exception  
You are the only exception_

_You are the only exception  
You are the only exception  
You are the only exception  
You are the only exception_

_And I'm on my way to believing  
Oh, and I'm on my way to believing._

I gulp.

Could that song be written for me?


	20. Chapter 20

Hey guys, thanks for all the reviews, best reviewer goes to **Catniss child2 **oh and **mckennawink** - maybe not...

This is a slightly shorter chapter but it's a chapter 1,464 words, Katniss is gonna realise a lot of shit, well she doesn't quite realise it, you will though!

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Twenty

"EVERYBODY READY?" shouts Clove even though we're standing next to her outside Gale's, we've dumped our stuff in the back of Cato's truck already… we're going to the festival today and to say the least, Clove is excited.

We agree and get in the truck. Gale called shot gun but Clove shoved me in the front because she wanted to talk to Gale, things have been a little… _off_ lately. Cato and I have barely talked, the others haven't seemed to notice, I've tried to figure out that song but I just can't, I need to ask him but that's just awkward.

We have a three hour drive to the festival, and to avoid weird conversations which Clove seems to be sparking up, I plug in my headphones and look out the window and slowly fall asleep.

Next thing I know I'm being awoken by none other than Cato. He makes me jump and I jump up and hit my head on the roof of the truck.

"Aw shit," I say clutching my head, he stifles a laugh "Yeah, ha, ha, very funny," I say sarcastically "You won't be laughing when your lead singer doesn't remember the words," I say getting out the truck and slamming the door. I trip on a stray rock and Cato catches me, I back off. "I'm ok," I say steading myself, then I realise that no one else is laughing at me, because Cato and I are the only ones at the truck "Where are the others?"

"Going to find a decent spot for the tent," he says. I was gonna bail when I heard that we were only taking one tent, but then I found out how big the tent actually was. There are three compartments, one either side of a big one, one for the girls, one for the boys and one in the middle keep our stuff in.

"Great," I say "Time to make sure that they don't kill each other with the tent poles, don't ya think?" he chuckles

"Malady," he says holding out his arm

"Bitch, please," I say walking off down to the field, following the suitcase wheels tracks. Cato catches up swiftly.

"Katniss, I think we should talk about what happened at-" he gets cut off by Clove

"KATNISS! FINALLY!" she shouts waving some instructions at me; I have to read them so they can put up the tent.

* * *

After several failed attempts of putting the tent up we finally manage to keep it standing. We roll out our sleeping bags in our separate compartments.

"We should go collect our backstage passes whilst we can," says Clove, I agree and we get out of our compartment to find the boys arguing already. Clove writes a note and leaves it on the cooler before heading out.

Outside we put on our sunglasses and Clove keep a hold of the information confirming that we need passes. We go off in search of stewards.

"I should have put on sun cream," complains Clove, we're both wearing denim shorts and t-shirts, and I roll my eyes. "And I'm going to get t-shirt tan lines!" I laugh at her

"Deal with it," I say as we finally spot a steward.

"How can I help you?" asks the bubbly steward

"We're scheduled to play in two days, we'd like to get our passes," says Clove

"We're part of the band Mockingjay," I explain

"Isn't there supposed to be five of you?" she asks

"The boys are arguing in the tent," says Clove

"Have you got the papers?" she asks, Clove nods and hands over to envelope "Follow me," she says, bringing us around the crowd, they're already playing music but we don't perform till Wednesday so for the next two days, we'll be having fun and relaxing, then on the Friday we go home.

We get to some guy with a black beard, who smiles and hands us our passes. We put ours around our necks and carry the other three.

* * *

When we get back to the tent we find that there's another tent next to ours and we also find the guys sat out on the grass drinking beers with some guy we don't know.

"Ladies," purrs the guy we don't know, he's got bronze hair and is definitely good looking. I roll my eyes and sling the other three passes at Gale.

"Finnick, this is Katniss our lead singer and Clove our drummer," says Cato, I nod hello, Clove groans before going in the tent to go find some sun cream.

"She's a charmer," says Finnick and we laugh "So you're the lead singer of Mockingjay," he says to me

"Yes…" I say

"You know, two lead singers, that being you and I, should get together sometime," he purrs

"No thanks I have a boyfriend," I say, I see Peeta roll his eyes

"So which one of these lovely lads is the lucky guy?" he asks

"That would be Thom, who's my friend from back at school," says Cato

"Finnick O'Dair stop flirting with the poor girl," says a girl with spiky short hair coming out the tent "I'm Johanna, and Finnick, what would Annie say?"

"What happens on tour, stays on tour?" he asks

"Get your ass in that tent and call your girlfriend," she says pushing him in the tent, I laugh as he fails to climb in the tent

"Johanna," she says extending her hand out to me

"Katniss," I say pushing past her and getting a beer from the cooler

"I think I like you," she smirks before going after Finnick

"Weird," I comment before going in the tent to get Clove.

* * *

Eventually we decide that we're going to the beach, the guys decide to tag along. Clove and I have changed into our bikini and put our shorts and t-shirts over us.

When we reach the beach we splash around in the sea, let Clove tan and basically enjoy the beach for a couple hours. Later I'm sitting with Peeta as I slap on some after-sun whilst the others are still splashing around.

"Why him?" Peeta bursts out, I'm startled at first by his outburst but I soon settle myself enough to answer his question

"Peeta, we're friends, I like us being friends and Thom's not in the band so eventually-" he cuts me off

"I wasn't talking about Thom," he says

"Then who were you talking about?" I ask confused

"Cato," he says stabbing the sand with a stick.

"I really don't know what you're talking about, I'm going out with Thom," I say confused

"That song he wrote, I could tell it was for you and I saw you two at prom, dancing together and you almost kissed,"

"Yeah, almost, I was the one who took a step back, I haven't 'chosen' Cato, I'm with Thom, and I can't believe you would bring this up again, I don't like Cato like that!"

"I didn't say that you did," and with that Peeta dusts himself down and goes to join the others and I can't help but feel a little helpless, it makes drowning seem so much better.

* * *

Later that night we have a camp fire with Finnick and Johanna's tent, we find out that the other two members of their band are called Seeder and Chaff. We sit around the fire drinking beers or any soft drink we have.

I'm sat in between Clove and Cato. Clove declares that her can of soda is empty and goes to bed in the tent. Chaff and Gale had already left. Peeta sat talking to Finnick and Seeder.

"Katniss, I was gonna say this earlier but we need to talk about prom," says Cato, I take a swig of my can

"What's there to talk about?" I ask, oblivious to it all

"At prom, when we were dancing to A-Team-" I cut him off with a massive yawn, not intentionally anyway even though it is a topic I would like to forget, especially now I'm with Thom, he was quite worried about this tent trip, especially cause of Peeta and other guys out there…

"Sorry," I say

"It's ok," he says

"So what were you saying?" I ask

"When we dance to A-Team-" he's cut off again by another yawn escaping my mouth

"Sorry, I'm just really tired," I say

"So as I was saying-" I cut him off again, for the third time

"Can we talk about this in the morning?" I ask

"Sure," he says deject

"Night guys," I say walking into the tent and before I zip it up behind me I hear Cato sigh.

That night when I'm curled up in my sleeping bag I think to myself.

_Why can't I just talk to him about it?_


	21. Chapter 21

Hey guys, I was kinda disappointed with the amounts of reviews, but I still found a winner, **Anna100044** that's you! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and favourited, this chapter is 3,189 words long and I don't own anything except the plot (just in case you didn't know, Cato didn't write the song, it was by Paramore, it's called Proof)

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Twenty One!

The next morning, I wake up and Clove is still asleep, I check the time on my phone and it tells me that it's eight thirty. I crawl out my sleeping bag, I'm in an oversized t-shirt and fabric shorts. I flip my hair quickly into a very messy high bun.

I make coffee on the camping stove and sit outside the tent on a log we'd dragged out from the woods for last night's meeting with the other tent.

I slurp my coffee silently as I think.

My head's pounding and I just can't get what Peeta said to me out my head. Ok, so I'll admit it, I like Cato but there's Thom and I don't want to hurt him and ruin everything. Everything with Thom is simple, we kiss and just get along, with Cato there are just so many feelings it's unbearable. I might explode from it all. Then where would I be?

I know Cato wants to talk about it but I just can't bring myself to, I can't keep doing this I have to confront my fears, fears of hurting Thom and Cato… and myself. No. It's better to be far away, to loosen the damage if anything did ever happen to Cato. I would never forgive myself.

Is it possible that I'm really in… with him? I wrack my brains for some other conclusion but I can't find one, leaving me back on step one.

"I thought I was the first up," I turn my head to find Cato emerging from the tent. I purse my lips and take another slurp of my coffee. "How long have you been up?" I take my time to answer

"A couple minutes," I say as he sits down on the log next to me. I stay calm on the inside but inside my head there might as well have been an explosion, everything I ever knew is literally going up in smoke and everything is jumbled and I'm starting to feel sick. "So… how's things?" I ask trying not to be awkward but failing miserably.

"We need to talk about it," says Cato

"We don't have anything to talk about," I say putting my mug down by the log and standing up to walk back over to the tent. He catches my arm and pulls me back around and pulls his lips back down on mine.

I did it! I actually did it! I kissed her! Then I think off Thom, she must do too as we both step back. She rushes inside the tent and I run my fingers through my hair.

I'm such an idiot. She has a boyfriend, which means she doesn't like me. Now I really do have to talk to her. If I hadn't have kissed her then I could have forgotten the near kiss and pretended it never happened, because nothing did happen and now I've fucked things up for her.

What if it ruins the band? What if I turn into Peeta? Shit. I'm fucked.

I sigh and pick up her mug, it smells of her. She smells of pine and the outdoors, no toxic make up or body spray, just Katniss the way she is.

She's left half her coffee. I drink the rest of it when Gale sticks his head out the tent. It tastes like her, it tastes like that stupid cherry Chap Stick she always wears to stop her lips from chapping, it tastes fresh and it tastes like Katniss.

"You might want to get dressed, we're going to watch the festival today you know," he says. I nod and bring the mug into the tent with me. Maybe I can talk to Katniss, take her into the woods because it's my entire fault. Because I kissed her. Because I love her. I really do.

* * *

We get dressed and eat some breakfast before we head off, I'm nervous, can I pull this off? We're all wearing wellies, correction, brightly coloured wellies. We walk through the mud to the stage where they're playing music already.

"Oh my god I love this band!" shouts Clove dancing around, we laugh

"I'm gonna go get some drinks, who wants one?" asks Katniss everyone agrees

"I'll help," I say but she stops me

"I'm capable of buying bottles of coca cola," she says

"I know that, I'm going to help you carry them," I say

"I don't need your help," she says trudging away

"Well you're getting it," I say walking after her. Gale, Peeta and Clove are all looking in the opposite direction, I grab her arm and steer her into the woods.

"What the hell?" she shouts ripping her arm from my grip

"We need to talk, Katniss,"

"I told you yesterday, there's nothing to talk about,"

"But that was before… we kissed,"

"You kissed me," she says stubbornly

"Fine whatever, but we have to talk about this,"

"It doesn't take this long to get drinks," she says

"The cue was long… and we went to go search for another stall," I say off the top of my head

"So you've been planning this," she says angrily backing up against a tree "Great! I'm being held captive!"

"We can go back to the others once we've talked!"

"Talked about what Cato?" she shouts "How we kissed? How I'm getting these strange feelings around you and all I can think about is how this affects Thom! How this would crush him! I just wanted to get away from this all! Where I don't have to feel these intense feelings… for you,"

"What if I were to have these… very intense feelings… for you too?" then it happens, I bring my lips down on hers and she kisses me back, my hands find their way around her waist and her hands tangle themselves in my hair.

"We should get the others their drinks," she says pulling back and resting her head against the bark of the tree. I step back and take her hand so we walk to the nearest drink stall.

"What are you gonna tell Thom?" I ask

"Honestly? I don't know,"

"Well I'm here for you," I say "Always," she gives me small smile before we get to the drinks stall.

"You guys were ages!" says Gale taking a bottle of coca cola

"There was a long line at the first one so we went looking for another one," explains Cato

"And it took a while," I say, Clove gives me a 'we'll talk about this later' look before taking a bottle for herself and unscrewing the cap. Just then the steward from yesterday appears.

"Thank god I found you!" she pants

"What's the matter?" asks Peeta

"You are the band Mockingjay, right?"

"Yes?" says Gale, Clove gives me a confused look

"One band is too drunk to play and no one has a set list, you can go on in five minutes, you just need three songs!"

"But that's our set list gone," says Clove

"We can make a new one," I say and everybody turns to look at me

"We can do an all-nighter, it's possible," says Cato

"I will give you free use of the practice room," says the steward, everyone looks to me

"We'll do it," I say

"Great, have you got your passes?" she asks, Clove nods and hands them out from the bag. We hurry past the crowds and get backstage, we're quickly handed what we need. I get a microphone and Clove pulls my hair out of its braid leaving hanging by my shoulders, she quickly French braids my fringe, which I'm still trying to grow out, and grips it back. Gale grabs his bass and Clove drums her drum sticks in anticipation.

"Now the band the Capitol had to cancel on us," says the host to the audience, immediately people start booing. "Now hang on! We just got one band to take their place! They're called Mockingjay and they were originally supposed to perform tomorrow, but they will also be performing three songs now! Please give it up for Mockingjay!"

We walk on stage and the crowd seems kinda pissed, screw it, I'm making a speech.

"So we're Mockingjay, I'm Katniss, on guitar we have Cato, on bass we have Gale, keyboard we have Peeta and on drums we have Clove," there are shouts of whatever's and go on with it from the crowds "Look I'm going to be blunt, the Capitol were too drunk to perform," the crowd laugh and there are a couple typicals, I've now got their attention and I continue "And you're pretty damn lucky to have us here because every other group was busy or didn't want to, and we have to make a new set list by tomorrow for our actual performance, so do you think you can handle us?" the crowd starts cheering, I smile, my job is done.

Clove gives me a wink, I give her the nod and she begins.

_Singing Radiohead at the top of our lungs  
With the boom box blaring as we're falling in love  
I got a bottle of whatever but it's getting us drunk  
Singing here's to never growing up_

_Call up all of our friends  
Go hard this weekend  
For no damn reason  
I don't think we'll ever change  
Meet you at the spot  
Half past 10 o'clock  
We don't ever stop  
And we're never gonna change_

_Say  
Won't you say forever  
Stay  
If you stay forever  
Hey  
We can stay forever young_

_Singing Radiohead at the top of our lungs  
With the boom box blaring as we're falling in love  
I got a bottle of whatever but it's getting us drunk  
Singing here's to never growing up  
We'll be running down the street yellin' "kiss my ass"  
I'm like "yeah whatever", we're still living like that  
When the sun's going down we'll be raising our cups  
Singing here's to never growing up  
Oh whoa, oh whoa here's to never growing up  
Oh whoa, oh whoa here's to never growing up_

_We live like rockstars  
Dance on every bar  
This is who we are  
I don't think we'll ever change  
They say "just grow up"  
But they don't know us  
We don't give a fuck  
and we're never gonna change_

_Say  
Won't you say forever  
Stay  
If you stay forever  
Hey  
We can stay forever young_

_Singing Radiohead at the top of our lungs  
With the boom box blaring as we're falling in love  
I got a bottle of whatever but it's getting us drunk  
Singing here's to never growing up  
We'll be running down the street yelling "kiss my ass"  
I'm like "yeah whatever", we're still living like that  
When the sun's going down we'll be raising our cups  
Singing here's to never growing up  
Oh whoa, oh whoa here's to never growing up  
Oh whoa, oh whoa here's to never growing up_

_Say  
Won't you say forever  
Stay  
If you stay forever  
Hey  
We can stay forever young_

_Singing Radiohead at the top of our lungs  
With the boom box blaring as we're falling in love  
I got a bottle of whatever but it's getting us drunk  
Singing here's to never growing up  
We'll be running down the street yelling "kiss my ass"  
I'm like "yeah whatever", we're still living like that  
When the sun's going down we'll be raising our cups  
Singing here's to never growing up  
Oh whoa, oh whoa here's to never growing up  
Oh whoa, oh whoa here's to never growing up  
Oh whoa, oh whoa here's to never growing up  
Oh whoa, oh whoa here's to never growing up  
Oh whoa, oh whoa here's to never growing up_

The tension is cut and the crowd is dancing, so we start having fun.

_Do you ever feel like a plastic bag  
Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?  
Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin  
Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?_

_Do you ever feel already buried deep?  
Six feet under screams, but no one seems to hear a thing  
Do you know that there's still a chance for you  
'Cause there's a spark in you?_

_You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine  
Just own the night like the 4th of July_

_'Cause baby, you're a firework  
Come on, show 'em what you're worth  
Make 'em go, oh, oh, oh  
As you shoot across the sky_

_Baby, you're a firework  
Come on, let your colors burst  
Make 'em go, oh, oh, oh  
You're gonna leave 'em falling down_

_You don't have to feel like a waste of space  
You're original, cannot be replaced  
If you only knew what the future holds  
After a hurricane comes a rainbow_

_Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed  
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road  
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow  
And when it's time, you'll know_

_You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine  
Just own the night like the 4th of July_

_'Cause baby you're a firework  
Come on, show 'em what you're worth  
Make 'em go, oh, oh, oh  
As you shoot across the sky_

_Baby, you're a firework  
Come on, let your colors burst  
Make 'em go, oh, oh, oh  
You're gonna leave 'em falling down_

_Boom, boom, boom  
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon  
It's always been inside of you, you, you  
And now it's time to let it through_

_'Cause baby you're a firework  
Come on, show 'em what you're worth  
Make 'em go, oh, oh, oh  
As you shoot across the sky_

_Baby, you're a firework  
Come on, let your colors burst  
Make 'em go, oh, oh, oh  
You're gonna leave 'em falling down_

_Boom, boom, boom  
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon  
Boom, boom, boom  
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon._

The next song is Cato's new song and he looks nervous, the whole crowd was singing along to that last song. It's another one he wrote and I think it's better than the other one.

"Now this is an original song," I say slightly dry "And it was written by Cato," I toss him the microphone for him to talk about it; I gulp down some water, who knew that three songs of bouncing around the stage and dancing and head banging would take it out of you.

"This song is called Proof and I wrote it awhile back, it's about someone I know," he says looking at me, I take another mouthful of water before setting the bottle down to take the microphone back from Cato. "I wrote it to show her how important she is to me," at this point all the girls in the crowd are screaming, I roll my eyes and Cato flashes me a smile as he chucks the microphone back to me I can't help but smile back.

Clove starts the beat, Gale joins, the tension builds, and Peeta begins. Then I smile as Cato joins in and I begin to sing.

_It's really hard  
I can't cry in your arms cause you're not here  
It's not your fault and if it was I wouldn't care  
My heart is bigger than the distance in between us  
I know it cause I feel it beating_

_So strong it'll knock you down  
So strong, So strong_

_Over here  
Can't count the miles away from where I wanna be  
Bet your skin is warm and that you're smiling  
Yeah, that's what I always loved the most about you  
You're so strong, come and knock me down_

_Baby, if I'm half the man I say I am  
If I'm a woman with no fear just like I claim I am  
Then I believe in what you say, there's nothing left for you to do  
The only proof that I need is you_

_I'll get in my car  
Driving faster than I ever did before  
Head out west until I finally reached the shore  
Then I'll swim out to wherever you are  
And we'll ride the undercurrent down to the floor_

_Making friends with all the unfamiliar creatures,  
Push your back on the unnecessary pressure,  
Come up for air just so you know we won't drown  
You're so strong  
The world can't keep us down, hey!_

_Baby if I'm half the man I say I am  
If I'm a woman with no fear just like I claim I am  
Then I believe in what you say, there's nothing left for you to do  
The only proof that I need is you_

_So do you love me?  
All you gotta do is say yes  
Now do you love me?  
And I won't ever second guess  
Now do you love me?  
All you gotta do is say yes  
Now do you love me?  
Then you already proved it_

_Baby if I'm half the man I say I am  
If I'm a woman with no fear just like I claim I am  
Then I believe in what you say, there's nothing left for you to do  
The only proof that I need is_

_Baby if I'm half the man I say I am  
If I'm a woman with no fear just like I claim I am  
Then I believe in what you say, there's nothing left for you to do  
The only proof that I need is you._

I've somehow finished after a blur of a performance looking into his icy blue orbs again and he's looking back at mine. The crowd is cheering and I somehow, without taking my eyes from his murmur a quick thank you into a microphone.

Cato slings his arm over my shoulder as we exit the stage, I pass him my water bottle and he gladly accepts it. Clove runs over to us smiling like a Cheshire cat.

"Oh my gosh! We nailed! It was so awesome! And your speech! Wow!" with that she runs off to attack Gale and Peeta, I think that after that Clove will not need to speak to me later about the whole disappearing for fifteen minutes just to get drinks. I'm glad.

I turn to face Cato, who's removed his arm from my shoulder, it feels kinda empty now. He's looking at me.

"What?" I ask

"Nothing, you just looked like you were meant to be there, you know?"

"Not really, I was really nervous,"

"It was like you owned them! They listened to every word you said!"

"And the countless amounts of girls screaming your name when you talked about the song, didn't listen to you?" I counter

"Jealous?" he smirks leaning forward

"Why would I be jealous?" I say and he leans in to kiss me but I'm cut off by a buff looking guy dressed in black with the word 'security' in white along the chest and back.

"You're Katniss Everdeen, right?"

"Yes…" I say awkwardly

"Well there's a guy back there, with brown hair, saying he knows you…"

"Did you get a name?" I ask

"Oh yeah, he said his name was Thom."

Oh shit.


	22. Chapter 22

Hey guys, sorry I didn't update yesterday, I was busy at my granddad's care home and I went to a football match. But I got this chapter done now, it's 3,017 words long and the best reviewer for the last chapter was hard to choose but I chose... **mckennawink**. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

- Court x

p.s I don't own the songs! (the one Katniss wrote is called Grow up by Paramore)

* * *

Chapter Twenty Two

"Hi Thom," I say, the security guard lets him come through and he wraps his arms around my waist, I awkwardly hug him back. "What are you doing here?" I ask feeling guilty about Cato and I…

"I came to visit my girlfriend, you're singing was beautiful!" he said kissing me on the cheek

"How long you staying for?" I ask reluctantly

"Just tonight, I leave tomorrow night after your performance then we've got the rest of summer together!" he smiles, I gulp, should I talk to him now? Well, obviously not now that would be awkward and he'd be sharing a tent with us and that would be weird. Really weird. "Hey Cato," he says giving him a fist bump.

"Uh, hey," says Cato deject, Thom wraps his arm around my waist. Things could get a little awkward…

* * *

We sit around the camp fire drinking beers and roasting marshmallows with Finnick and Johanna's tent. The atmosphere is to say the least… awkward.

The fire starts to die down as I'm talking to Johanna and Clove, who are laughing about how she found that band called the Capitol at the medic tent after Seeder hurt her ankle.

"I'm gonna go get some more wood," I say putting my can by the log

"I'll help," says Cato standing up, we walk into the woods in silence. Cato's the first to speak once we're far enough into the woods not to be heard. "What's he doing here, Katniss?" he asks moodily picking up some dry sticks for the fire.

"I don't know! It's not like I asked him to come! Besides he's leaving tomorrow," I say going for a few sticks of wood myself.

"You still need to talk to him," he says pointing out the obvious, but what would I say to him?

"Yeah and what am I supposed to say to him? Sorry Thom I never really liked you so I'm going to run off into the sunset with your best friend instead! Does that sound fair to you?" he laughs. He actually laughs. "Can you please look at this seriously! One kiss is an accident, twice is cheating and I'm not a cheater!" he continues to laugh "What? What's so funny?"

"I can't take you seriously when you've got leaves in your hair," he laughs and drops the sticks before walking over to me and gently pulling the leaves from my hair.

"Oh," I say a little deflated. He rests his hand on my cheek. "I can't do it, Cato. How am I even supposed to start the conversation? And either way I'll be a total hypocrite to Peeta and-" he cuts me off bringing his lips to mine causing me to drop my sticks.

"Stop worrying," he soothes "Besides, it's not really cheating if you don't like him,"

"But it is!" I complain

"Katniss, you need to tell him,"

"I know, but I don't want to tell him tonight because that would just be awkward and I don't want to say it tomorrow because then it's like leaving things at an argument and gah!" I complain and he wraps his arms around me, I rest my head on his chest "Why is everything so complicated?"

"You should talk to him in the morning, after all we've got a set list to plan," he says and I agree "We better get back, I don't really have a good excuse this time, because saying there wasn't any sticks is like the worst excuse ever," I give him a small smile and we collect our sticks before walking back hand in hand only to separate when we come into view of the others.

* * *

CATO.

* * *

I throw the sticks on the fire, I watch Katniss as Thom comes over to her and wraps his arms around her, I feel like fighting him but what would that resolve.

"Hey guys we really need to sort out this set list," I say, everyone agrees and we sit around some logs with our phones and iPods searching through songs. What annoys me is that Thom keeps putting off Katniss and she's definitely getting annoyed, she's trying to hide her scowl but I can see straight through her.

The fire illuminates her face and makes her skin glow, the embers that dance off the wood in sparks light her stormy grey eyes. Her hair blows freely in the slight breeze and I'm beginning to love the scowl that almost always graces her face even though her smile is better.

"Quit staring," whispers Clove in my ear next to me

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lie, my phone dings and I look at it, it's a text… from Clove.

**I can't say this out loud, someone might hear but you smell like Kat's cherry Chap Stick, and since when did Katniss cheat on a guy?  
-Clove**

**It's my fault really. I kissed her even though she's going out with Thom.  
-Cato**

**She gonna tell him?  
-Clove**

I nod to her, so that I don't waste a text just then Gale bursts out.

"I got one!"

* * *

KATNISS.

* * *

The next morning I head out to the practice room we were told we could use. Thom and Clove come with. Thom hasn't left me alone since he got here and it's annoying. I sit down with an acoustic guitar. We sorted two out of three songs last night and we're waiting to see what Cato can come up with as he's the one that writes the songs.

I sit strumming the guitar when Clove announces that she's hungry, Thom volunteers to go get me some food as well, but really he doesn't know what kind of food I like.

Thom's phone rings indicating that there's an incoming call. I debate whether to answer the call and I find myself fumbling over the buttons to answer it.

"H-" I'm cut off by the seductive purr of a female voice at the other end of the line

"Hey Thom," she purrs, I double check caller ID, it's Delly, what's she doing calling Thom? She's probably being needy. "I'm calling about the other night, it was great, but you left something here when my dad caught us and I was wondering whether you wanted your pants back," I choke on air "Embarrassed Tommy? Don't worry I don't mind, actually I find it really sexy-" this time I'm the one that cuts her off

"You slept with Thom?" I shout down the phone

"Katniss? Oh my god," then she hangs up abruptly. I place the phone back on the couch rub my neck in aggravation.

_At least all I did was kiss Cato…_

I find my way to the guitar and let my emotions get out. This is way overdue.

_Some of us have to grow up sometimes  
And so, if I have to I'm gonna leave you behind  
Some of us have to grow up sometimes  
And so, if I have to I'm gonna leave you behind _

I finish the verse of whatever I just made up feeling somewhat happy with myself when I hear clapping. I turn to see Cato standing in the doorway.

"Hey," I say putting the guitar down

"Hey, where's Clove and Thom? They were missing from the tent,"

"They went to get food," I say simply, I could really punch something.

"That's a good song, we should use it," he smiles sitting down next to me; he doesn't attempt to touch me like Thom does.

"I haven't finished it yet,"

"I know but we can finish it and use it,"

"Use what?" asks Clove coming in with several bags of crisps and chocolate, Thom follows behind her.

"Katniss wrote a song," says Cato with a smirk

"Let's hear it then," says Thom

"Actually Thom, um Delly called you, she said she wanted to talk to you so I told her I would get you to call her back later because I thought you'd probably want to get your stuff sorted to leave later," I say through gritted teeth.

"Thanks," he says taking his phone from the couch kissing me on the cheek and leaving the practice room.

"Ok, so what did Delly really say?" asks Clove knowingly

I cough and imitate Delly's voice "The other night… it was great… you left your pants here when my dad caught us… don't worry I think it's sexy,"

"I swear-" Clove starts to storm away but I grab her arm

"Don't worry about it; I may have something planned for later…" I smirk and Clove raises her eyebrows.

_Why not embarrass Thom for real?_

"INTRODUCING OUR SAVIOURS FROM YESTERDAY, IT'S MOCKINGJAY!" we strut on stage, looking somewhat professional. Thom waits in the wings smiling like it's his lucky day, well we'll see, won't we?

"Hey guys," I say into the microphone "We've got three songs, the last one I wrote this morning actually… so are you enjoying the festival?" they cheer "I can't hear you!" they shout louder "Alright then, here's our cover of Turn it Off originally by Paramore,"

_I scraped my knees while I was praying  
And found a demon in my safest haven  
Seems like it's getting harder to believe in anything  
Than just to get lost in all my selfish thoughts_

I wanna know what it'd be like  
To find perfection in my pride  
To see nothing in the light  
But turn it off in all my spite, in all my spite  
I'll turn it off

And the worst part is, before it gets any better  
We're headed for a cliff  
And in the free fall I will realize that  
I'm better off when I hit the bottom

I dance with Cato at this point and we're swaying as he performs this amazing solo. I go back to center stage and take my position.__

The tragedy, it seems unending  
I'm watching everyone I looked up to breaking, bending  
We're taking shortcuts and false solutions  
Just to come out the hero

Well I can see behind the curtain  
The wheels are cranking turning  
It's all wrong the way we're working  
Towards a goal, that's non-existent, it's non-existent  
But we just keep believing

And the worst part is, before it gets any better  
We're headed for a cliff  
And in the free fall I will realize  
I'm better off when I hit the bottom

I wanna know what it'd be like  
To find perfection in my pride  
To see nothing in the light  
But turn it off in all my spite, in all my spite  
I'll turn it off  
Just turn it off

Again  
Again, again

And the worst part is, before it gets any better  
We're headed for a cliff  
And in the free fall I will realize  
I'm better off when I hit the bottom

I head bang with Gale before skipping around dancing; Cato and Gale follow still playing their instruments.__

And the worst part is, before it gets any better  
We're headed for a cliff  
Then in the free fall I will realize  
I'm better off when I hit the bottom.

The crowd is cheering and I catch my breath for a second before introducing the next song.

"Now this next one is called Tonight, Tonight by Hot Chelle Rae and let's just say I changed some of the lyrics,"

_Uno, dos, tres_

It's been a really really messed up week  
Seven days of torture, seven days of bitter  
And my boyfriend went and cheated on me  
He's a California dime but it's time for me to quit him

La la la, whatever, la la la, it doesn't matter, la la la, oh well, la la la

We're going at it tonight tonight  
There's a party on the rooftop top of the world  
Tonight tonight and we're dancing on the edge of the Hollywood sign  
I don't know if I'll make it but watch how good I'll fake it  
It's all right, all right, tonight, tonight

I woke up with a strange tattoo  
Not sure how I got it, not a dollar in my pocket  
And it kinda looks just like you  
Mixed with Zach Galifianakis

La la la, whatever, la la la, it doesn't matter, la la la, oh well, la la la

We're going at it tonight tonight  
There's a party on the rooftop top of the world  
Tonight tonight and we're dancing on the edge of the Hollywood sign  
I don't know if I'll make it but watch how good I'll fake it  
It's all right, all right, tonight, tonight

You got me singing like  
Woah, come on, ohh, it doesn't matter, woah, everybody now, ohh

Just don't stop let's keep the beat pumpin'  
Keep the beat up, let's drop the beat down  
It's my party dance if I want to  
We can get crazy let it all out

Just don't stop let's keep the beat pumpin'  
Keep the beat up, let's drop the beat down  
It's my party dance if I want to  
We can get crazy let it all out

It's you and me and were runnin this town  
And it's me and you and we're shakin the ground  
And ain't nobody gonna tell us to go cause this is our show

Everybody  
Woah, come on, ohh, all you animals  
Woah, let me hear you now, ohh

Tonight tonight there's a party on the rooftop top of the world  
Tonight tonight and we're dancing on the edge of the Hollywood sign  
I don't know if I'll make it but watch how good I'll fake it  
It's all right, all right, tonight, tonight  
It's all right, all right, tonight, tonight  
Yeah it's all right, all right, tonight, tonight

Just singing like  
Woah, come on, ohh, all you party people  
Woah, all you singletons, ohh (even the white kids)

Just don't stop let's keep the beat pumpin'  
Keep the beat up, let's drop the beat down  
It's my party dance if I want to  
We can get crazy let it all out

Just don't stop let's keep the beat pumpin'  
Keep the beat up, let's drop the beat down  
It's my party dance if I want to  
We can get crazy let it all out

The crowd is cheering and Clove has her mischievous smirk on, time to put that plan action.

"Hey guys, want to meet someone?" I ask and the crowd cheers, my smile grows "Thom, get out here," he reluctantly steps out of the wings "Don't be shy," I say grabbing his hand and walking him to center stage "Guys this is my boyfriend Thom Matthews and this next song is dedicated to him," he give him a smile and he smiles back

_I told 'em all where to stick it  
I left town with a dime to my name  
I said, I'm done with all of my fake friends  
Self-righteous pawns in a losing game_

Got my band and a light that won't go out  
Been burning since the day I was born  
So I cried just a little then I'll dry my eyes  
Cause I'm not a little girl no more

Some of us have to grow up sometimes  
And so, if I have to I'm gonna leave you behind  
Some of us have to grow up sometimes  
And so, if I have to I'm gonna leave you behind

I'm skipping around Thom and he's smiling like an idiot, I guess he didn't listen to the lyrics, hell he's got the rest of the song to figure them out.__

Stood in line for so long just to picket  
Something I will never understand  
Aren't you tired of always being mad at the world?  
Won't you just admit you don't care?

And lady, I don't want your pity  
So don't feel sad for me  
I got a love I would die for and a song to sing  
Maybe we're both just living out our dream

And some of us have to grow up sometimes  
And so, if I have to I'm gonna leave you behind  
Some of us have to grow up sometimes  
And so, if I have to I'm gonna leave you behind

We get along for the most part  
Me and reality, the light and the dark  
We live alone, two different worlds  
Me in a fantasy, you in your memories  
But we get along

We get along  
We get along  
We get along  
We get along

We get along  
We get along

Some of us have to grow up sometimes  
And so, if I have to I'm gonna leave you behind  
Some of us have to grow up sometimes  
And so, if I have to I'm gonna leave you behind

Some of us have to grow up sometimes  
And so, if I have to I'm gonna leave you behind  
Some of us have to grow up sometimes  
And so, if I have to I'm gonna leave you behind 

The crowd is cheering.

"Get my message?" I ask Thom

"That you just dedicated a song to me! Aww!" he says going to kiss me but I push him back and bring the microphone to my lips

"He didn't get my message," I say "Shall I repeat a bit?" I ask and the crowd cheers, Thom looks at me confused "Some of us have to grow up sometimes, Thom, and so if I have to I'm gonna leave you behind,"

"What why?" he asks confused

"I quote from the song Tonight, Tonight, my boyfriend cheated on me, now I think that rhymes with her name that's right Delly,"

"You're wrong!" he says "I would never cheat on you!"

"Don't lie to me _Tommy_ oh and you might want to go pick up your pants from Delly's house on your way home, because as Delly said _you had such a great night_,"

The crowd are oohing and jeering at Thom, I stand with my arms folded, I take another. Thom turns to leave.

"Oh and Thom!" I shout and he turns around, I grab Cato's face and pull my lips onto his. Just then Thom comes stomping over and tackles Cato off the stage.


	23. Chapter 23

Hey guys, thanks for the reviews, best reviewer for the last chapter goes to... **Annie Cresta 1 (Guest)** thanks to everyone for reviewing though, this chapter is 2,459 words and is kinda fluffy. Enjoy.

- Court x

* * *

Chapter Twenty Three

At first I'm in utter shock and so is everyone else. I drop the microphone and jump off the stage and land safely on the ground. Cato and Thom are scuffling on the floor; it looks like Cato's supporting a split lip and Thom an already bruising black eye. I jump to attention and pull Thom from Cato.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" I shout angrily "You could've broken his neck!" some stewards have come now to escort Thom off the premises, Cato's still on the floor, he sits up and wipes his lips whilst glaring at Thom "Get outta here," I say pushing him away, the stewards escort him away.

I didn't notice the circle of people surrounding us. I grab Cato's hand and help him up.

"You ok?" I ask

"Yeah, I hit my head, nothing that bad, maybe a dislocated shoulder," I grab his hand and steer him towards the medical tent.

They pop his shoulder back in and give him a sling for his arm, he has to wear it for a week, so no guitar playing for him.

He holds the ice pack awkwardly to his head. I take it from his hand and gently hold it at the back of his head; the nurse goes back to doing whatever she was doing.

"I can't believe that just happened," I say

"Yeah, that makes two of us,"

"I'm sorry; if I didn't plan the whole public humiliation thing then you wouldn't be sat here,"

"Don't worry; anyways he had it coming,"

"That makes us hypocrites," I retort

"At least you didn't sleep with someone else," he says tangling his good hand in my hair "Now should I be asking if you're ok?"

"I'm fine," I say "You're the one in the sling,"

"Well at least all that's sorted," he sighs

"I never meant it to get that far! I just-" he cuts me off

"Stop worrying! I'm fine! If anything I'm still recovering from that kiss," he smirks, I push his playfully and he chuckles.

"Should we get back to the tent?" I ask

"I was waiting for you to say that," he says grabbing his purple hoodie and tosses it at me, I raise my eyebrows at him "Just wear it," he says, I reluctantly put it on, it's way too big for me, only then do I notice the pitter patter of rain on the roof of the medic tent. "Get ready to run," he smirks.

And we do, the ground is muddy, we make it back to the tent, completely soaked. We laugh as we enter the tent, to find everyone sat in the main compartment, drinking hot chocolate. I wring my hair out and braid it even though it's damp. I crawl into my compartment and change into my pyjamas which consist of an oversized t-shirt and fabric shorts. I return to the others with Cato's hoodie in hand, waiting to return it to him.

Clove hands me a mug of hot chocolate and smiles.

"That was some awesome public shaming, Everdeen," she says

"And what was _that_ with Cato?" asks Gale wiggling his eyebrows

"Oh my gosh," I say covering my face "Don't ever do that, Gale," we all laugh

"So what are you two together now?" asks Peeta sourly, this catches me by surprise. I bet I look like a real idiot to Peeta.

"I wouldn't say together…" I say awkwardly

"Give the girl a break Mellark, she just found out that her boyfriend had sex with Delly Cartwright, I think that's enough to put people off for life," says Clove and we laugh, Cato returns from the compartment and grabs a mug for himself. I mouth 'thank you' to Clove, after all she got me out of a very awkward situation with Peeta.

"How's your arm?" I ask Cato

"It's been better," he says, I hand him his hoodie "Keep it," he says "You look better in it than I do," I smile and look at the ground. Just then the zip of the tent comes open and Johanna and Finnick appear, they zip the tent up behind them.

"Nice move, Brainless," Johanna says sitting down in between Clove and I "I knew you looked familiar, I just didn't know who you were until you sung,"

"Huh?" I ask confused

"Seam High School," answers Finnick

"Oh," I say quietly

"Yeah, you disappeared after junior year, what happened?" asks Johanna

"Um… I um…" I don't exactly want to talk about it, Peeta comes to my rescue

"So you didn't know that Katniss was bullied?" ok, so he's not my rescuer

"That was you?" asks Finnick "Wow,"

"No wonder Amber Blunt bitched about you, she must have been so jealous that you could sing,"

"It wasn't that," I say

"Well spill it then, Brainless,"

"My dad and little sister died in a car crash before my very eyes because we were coming home from a movie I wanted to see, I stopped talking to people because all they would do was pity me and then Amber Blunt got some information from someone about me,"

"That bitch!" shouts Johanna

"Yeah…" I say quietly "I was the one she referred to as the canary because when I stopped singing no one wanted to stick around,"

"Oh my gosh that was you?" shouts Finnick somewhat appalled

"Yep," I say "Either that fire girl because of my arms," I say "Skin grafts suck," then Cato wraps his good arm around my shoulder

"Got to hand it to you Brainless, Amber Blunt would hate to have seen you so happy when you singing,"

"Tell me about it," I say "But she won't, so I'm good,"

"Oh she will, I just uploaded a video of your performance Facebook and YouTube, I called it Mockingjay at the Summer Beach Festival, it already has over a thousand views,"

"Thanks Johanna," I say sarcastically

"It was the least I could do," she retorts.

Eventually Finnick and Johanna went back to their tent when the raining stopped, leaving us sitting and talking.

"Going home tomorrow!" shouts Clove and I laugh

"You really want to get away from me?" pouts Gale, Cato and I share a look

"Yes. Definitely. Your snoring is killing me," she complains, Peeta stifles a laugh

"Love you too, Clovey," he says hugging her tightly, Clove glares at him and we laugh

"I'm going to call my mom, to make sure that I don't arrive when something expected is happening," I say slipping out the tent, I dial her mobile number.

"Hello?"

"Hi mom,"

"Hi Katniss, how's the festival?"

"Totally awesome, we got to perform yesterday as well, the crowd loved us,"

"That's good sweetie, did Thom arrive yet? I told him that he should make a surprise visit,"

"It was you?" I shout down the phone

"What's the matter?" she asks deeply concerned

"He slept with this needy bitch called Delly Cartwright, we're over now," I say bluntly

"I'll forget that you used a bad word there because I know you're hurting,"

"Oh I'm not hurting, Cato is, he literally tackled him off the stage, he got a dislocated shoulder and a split lip,"

"Wow, how did that happen?"

"Just go onto YouTube and type in Mockingjay at the Summer Beach Festival, our new friend Johanna uploaded it earlier,"

"Ok…"

"But really I'm calling to make sure that you know I'm coming home tomorrow,"

"Yes I know," she says "You better go get some sleep," she says, I silently scoff

"Yeah, night mom,"

"Good night, Katniss," she hangs up and I slip my phone in my pocket. I sit down on a log and look up to the sky, the stars look back at me.

"No shooting stars tonight," says the unmistakeable voice of Cato, he sits down on the log next to me "Thanks for jumping off the stage to help me earlier,"

"Thanks for taking the impact of Thom," I say and he scoffs

"He's not even that strong, he just surprised me,"

"Yet he had you pinned to the floor," I chuckle

"He dislocated my shoulder!" he argues

"Keep telling yourself that Blondie," I retort, he laughs

"Where does this leave us?" he asks deadly serious

"I don't know, I don't exactly have the greatest track record with guys, on my date with Peeta, he was more interested in talking about how bitchy you were, but of course I know you had your reasons, and Thom was a cheater so it's not like I know how this stuff works,"

"So you never dated anyone before Peeta?"

"Well unless you count the idiots that you date when you're thirteen, no, and plus I was thirteen, I had no idea what I was doing," he laughs "Then things just got complicated before Christmas,"

"I just can't believe people haven't asked you out," he says, which is quite surprising

"I got three invites to prom and a pissy Peeta," Cato just laughs "Anyways messed up brunette isn't exactly anyone's type,"

"No, but it's mine," he says, I turn to look at him

"Don't lie to make me feel better," I say

"I'm not lying, Katniss you're beautiful and you have this amazing personality, you're smart-" I cut him off

"I'll let you finish there," I say blushing slightly, at small smile tugging at my lips

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I like you,"

"I figured," I smile, I rest my head on his good shoulder "And for the record, I like you too."

* * *

The next thing I know is that it's morning and I'm back in my compartment in the tent with Clove. I sit up feeling a little disorientated, the last thing I remember doing was sitting outside with Cato. I must have fallen asleep

Clove's already up and dressed; she's currently spraying deodorant and almost choking to death on the fumes. I grab some clothes and crawl out our compartment on all fours to find that the boys aren't up yet. I listen for movement in their compartment, which there isn't, before I quickly change into a t-shirt and shorts. I find Cato's hoodie where I left it last night before I called my mother.

Clove crawls out the compartment with her stuff and huffs when she realises that the boys aren't up yet. I sort out my stuff and return to find Clove sitting in the middle of the large compartment, twizzling a penknife between her fingers. Normal people would be scared by this but I know Clove wouldn't actually hurt anybody with it.

She smiles when she sees me with my stuff; I put my suitcase outside the tent with her stuff and return back to the tent to sit next to her. The boys still aren't up.

She smirks mischievously.

"What are you thinking?" I ask knowingly

"I know how to wake up the boys," her smirk grows and I pray that it isn't too bad…

Five minutes later, we're sneaking into the boys' compartment; Clove had to do a lot of convincing. I lie in between Peeta and Cato whilst Clove fits snugly between Cato and Gale.

"Three…" says Clove "Two… one," then we both scream at the top of our lungs causing all three guys to jolt awkward. Clove and I are left laughing our asses off.

"Jesus, Katniss," Peeta moans slamming his face into his pillow I laugh and scream again when Cato grabs me by waist and pulls me backwards into him.

"Good morning," I say cheerily

"Good morning, beautiful," he smiles sleepily

"Come on guys," Clove interrupts "We're leaving after breakfast!" they all groan. We leave their compartment and Clove goes to make sure our compartment is tidy before we eat. I head outside the tent and see Finnick cooking bacon and sausages over the fire in nothing but his underwear.

"Hey, um, maybe you should try some pants?"

"Why?" he asks turning to face me "Do you find this-" he pulls and extremely ridiculous pose "-distracting?"

"I'm only human, O'Dair," I say sitting on the log

"What was with all the screams this morning?" he asks flipping the bacon

"Let's just say the guys got a wake-up call," I smirk and he chuckles

"Well you woke Johanna up to, so I'm grateful," he says "So I started making breakfast for all of us, the only problem is that I don't have any bread," he says

"Want me to go to the shop to get some?" I ask

"That would be great," he smiles

"I'll just go tell Clove, oh and Finnick?" he turns around to look at me quizzically "You should really put some jeans on," I tell him and he blushes slightly before going back to cook the food.

"I'm gonna get some bread for our breakfast, Finnick's cooking," I tell Clove and Peeta who are sitting in the main compartment.

* * *

Later we sit around after eating the breakfast that Finnick made, we eventually managed to convince him to put on some pants after a girl walked by and I swear she almost fainted.

"I guess this is good bye," I say to Johanna and Finnick, Seeder and Chaff had already left.

"I'm gonna miss you Kitty," says Finnick hugging me tightly, I awkward pat his back. Johanna laughs at Finnick and pushes him away.

"See you around, Brainless," she says giving me a quick hug "Amber Blunt will be sorry," she says "She's stuck at college with me," she winks

"Give her hell," I reply. I grab my suitcase and sling it in the back out Cato's truck with the others'. Cato's trying to take the tent down with the help of Gale and they're failing miserably because Cato only has one functional arm, Clove and Peeta are just laughing as Gale trips over a stray tent pole.

Cato looks up and smiles when he sees me.

"I thought I told you to keep this," he says slipping the hoodie onto me. I smile and pull it up, it's way too big. I kiss him on the cheek before pulling the tent hooks out the ground, which makes it a lot easier for Gale to pack the tent up.

We get in the truck, Peeta's driving, Clove called shot gun, so I sit in between Gale and Cato. I pull the hood of Cato's hoodie up and plug in my earphones and start listening to music. Gale falls asleep so I end up resting my feet on his lap.

"What you listening to?" asks Cato, I hand him an ear phone and he smiles bobbing his head around. I rest my head on his shoulder and shut my eyes.

It's been a good trip.


	24. Chapter 24

Hey guys, you're going to hate me after this chapter! But it isn't the end! I promise! There's probably a couple more... so thanks for the reviews for the previous chapter, best reviewer was **Chey8151** thanks to everyone though! This is a short chapter of 1,611 words.

- Court

* * *

Chapter Twenty Four

I stretch and swing my legs off Gale who's already awake. We're nearly back, my phone dings in my pocket and I slip it out. It's still playing the playlist that Cato and I were listening to earlier, it's the playlist with my dad's songs some with me and most without.

I look at the text.

**Bring everyone in, you lot must be hungry.  
-Mom**

"Hey guys, my mother is making us lunch," I say sitting forward

"Good, I'm hungry!" says Clove, I laugh. Cato starts singing.

"I will wait! I will wait for you!" he sings or rather shouts.

"Oh my shit, do not do that!" shouts Clove, Cato and I sit trying to holding in our laughter. I reply to my mother.

**Especially Clove. Thanks mom.  
-Kat**

I take the headphones out of mine and Cato's ears and wrap them around my phone. He pulls an annoyed face and I roll my eyes.

Soon we pull up at my house. I grab my case out of the back of the truck we go in.

"Hey mom," I say and she practically bombards me with death-grip hugs. "Can't breathe,"

"Sorry," she says letting go of me, I laugh and dump my case at the bottom of the stairs and go back into the kitchen, where everyone is standing around the table or sitting down. One particular face sits at the table.

"Uncle Haymitch," I say

"Sweetheart," he says standing up. He stands in front of me and before I can do anything I'm the broken girl hugging her uncle because he's the closest thing she has to human interaction after her mother locks herself in her room for days on end.

He holds me tight.

"I saw the video on YouTube; you were great, he'd be proud of you,"

"Thanks," I whisper

"So are you going to introduce me?" he asks with a smirk

"Well Uncle Haymitch, this is Clove, Gale, Peeta and Cato, guys this is my Uncle Haymitch," they all say hi or hello. My mother brings out a lasagne and ushers us all to sit down, we sit around the table, I sit in between Cato and Clove. My mother sits next to Clove and Haymitch sits opposite me in between Peeta and Gale.

"So the song choice was something," says Haymitch shovelling lasagne into his mouth. I give Clove a look.

"Um… yeah," I manage to say

"Now this Thom character-" I cut him off

"Oh god, Johanna videoed that too?" I say face palming

"Yes, public shaming, I didn't know you had it in you,"

"Neither did I…" I say playing with the food on my plate

"But you kids are good," he says

"It's a shame really," says Peeta "We're going to different colleges,"

"So what's going to happen?" asks Haymitch

"We haven't really talked about it," says Clove

"And to be honest, no one really knows where they're heading," says Gale

"Especially now that we won't be together," says Cato, everyone looks at Cato "I'm talking about the music!"

"Sure you were," says Clove sarcastically.

* * *

"Thanks for a great week," I say thanking Cato before he leaves to drop everyone off.

"Come on Cato, my mother is waiting!" shouts Gale we laugh

"You made it a great week," says Cato, we're standing at my front door whilst Clove, Peeta and Gale sit in the truck. "Sorry about Thom,"

"Yeah, I'm not sorry," I say

"WE'RE ALL NOT SORRY!" shouts Clove "NOW GET IN THE TRUCK!"

"I guess I'll see you soon," he says

"See you soon,"

"JUST KISS HER ALREADY!" shouts Peeta, which surprises me

"Best give the audience what they want," I smirk biting my lip, he leans forward and kisses me on the lips. He smiles into our kisses and I step back.

"Better take the audience home," I say

"See you soon," he says and pecks me on the lips

"See you soon," I nod and he runs towards the truck where the others are "See you soon," I sigh and close the door.

* * *

Summer's over and we'll all be heading off to college. I'm the first to go and we're driving to the airport. I said good bye to my mother at the house, which was followed by crying; now Clove, Peeta, Gale and Cato are riding with me to the airport.

We sit in silence as we drive to the airport; the silence is welcomed on my part as I wouldn't know what to say even if this was a scripted scene in a movie. Then on my phone the valley song plays, I start humming the tune then Clove joins along starting to tap the beat on the back of my seat, Gale starts joining in and Peeta too. We all look to Cato who's driving to sing, even though it is possibly the worst song we've ever heard.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow,  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow,  
Lay down your head and close your sleepy eyes,  
When you awake the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm,  
Here the daisies guard you from harm,  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true,  
Here is the place where I love you._

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away,  
A cloak of leaves, A moonbeam ray, Forget your woes and let your troubles lay,  
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away.

Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true,  
Here is the place where I love you.

"I'm gonna miss you guys," says Clove as we pull up in the airport. I grab my suitcase from the back of the truck and stand to see the others waiting by the side of the truck.

"We're going to let Cato walk you away, so you can say good bye without us," says Gale

"And you won't want to see me ugly cry," wails Clove, I drop the suitcase and hug her. She wraps her arms around my neck and I hug her straight back. "Call me every day, no exceptions," she says

"Of course I will, as long as you promise to actually pick up!" I say pushing back my tears "Gimee your phone," I say and she hands me it

"What are you doing?" she sniffs

"Mixing things up a little, smile loser," I snap picture and she hugs me again "Ok, ok," I say stepping back and wiping my face, next is Peeta. We hug and I whisper to Peeta. "Maybe you talk to Glimmer," I whisper "I think she likes you," he laughs

"Thanks for everything Kat," he smiles and I kiss his cheek in a friendly way. Next is Gale and he literally yanks me into his arms.

"God, you're like my little sister," he says

"I know," I say but then my voice turns to a whisper "Take Clove to McDonald's or something, treat her good," I say and he nods still hugging me. I take a step back and take a breath. "I love you guys," I say "Can I get a picture of all of us?" I ask wiggling my phone, they nod and I pull Cato in the middle of us all and ask a passer-by to take to take the photo. I save it as my background and slip my phone back into my pocket.

"Honestly, I don't know what I would have done without you," I'm tearing up by I shake my tears away "You are the most amazing people I have ever met and in a couple years we'll all see each other again, I can promise you that, thanks for being my best friends," I say hugging them all again "But I better go, I don't want to miss my flight," they all nod and Clove starts crying. Gale hugs the small girl and I smile. I nod to Peeta as Cato grabs my hand and I pull my case along.

We stand outside the boarding area.

"I guess this is it," I say standing in front of Cato

"We'll see each other again," says Cato

"Yeah we will but-" I'm choking on my words "-summer's over, Cato, and this is it for me,"

"You're not doing what I think you're doing, are you?" I nod and wipe a stray tear away

"Thanks for a great summer, Cato," I say standing back from him, they call my flight "Good bye, Cato,"

"See you soon," he says and I'm turning away from him "Say it back!" he shouts "You always say it back!"

"Goodbye Cato," I repeat, my throat clogged with tears

"Katniss, I love you!" he shouts after me

"I know," it's all I can get out, all these feelings scare the shit out of me and I wouldn't have traded those feelings for anyone or anything. "Goodbye Cato," I say for the third and final time. I hand the woman my ticket and I board the plane with tears streaming down my face.

I take my seat on the plan and stare at the picture on my screen. In a few short hours I will start my new life at college and make some new friends, they won't ever replace Clove, Gale, Peeta or Cato but I have a feeling that the next couple years are going to be… new.

I gulp as I turn my phone off and pull my seatbelt on when the sign lights up.

Goodbye California, hello college.

That's when I realise something.

The truth hurts and the truth is that I love him too.


	25. Chapter 25

Hey guys thanks for all the reviews, no this story has not finished yet! They'll probably be ten more chapters, I'm unsure but I've got a lot of ideas for my next story, so yeah. Best reviewer for the last chapter was **Anthonyyy **AND **heyoimamockingjay**! Thanks to everyone for reviewing, this next chapter is 2,456 words long and there is a BIG time skip which Cato kinda talks through... enjoy :)

- Court

P.S there is a lot of language in this, not for the faint hearted! ;)

* * *

Chapter Twenty Five

CATO

* * *

Three years ago Katniss Everdeen broke my heart, if you could even call us official, but at the time I didn't care for the labels or actual dates we just enjoyed each other's company whether it was lunch at McDonalds or staying in and watching a movie with our friends or just sitting outside in the dead of the night looking at the stars.

I think I knew I was in love with her after I told her my story and I got so involved with hers. I will never forget that one year we had together, hell it wasn't even a year.

I used to call and leave messages but in the end I gave up as I didn't even know that she'd even bothered to listen to them. She probably replaced me before she even got on that plane...

That's when I started fooling around with girls that just wanted to hook up no questions asked, no feelings just sex. It was simple compared to all the feelings I had for Katniss, something that I wouldn't miss when it ended.

School was ok, I was just scraping by with my grades, it was just enough to graduate, and college was getting harder than ever because I was skipping some classes to meet up with girls I hardly even knew.

Clove and Gale finally got together a couple weeks after Katniss left, they haven't stop trying to get me to try harder and stop the meetings I had with girls. Peeta on the other hand stopped talking to me after Katniss left he believed that I'd done something terrible to her after I started hooking up with the girls.

"Come on, Cato," whines Clove "We've barely spoken in three weeks!"

"I've been busy," I say trying to shuffle past her but she blocks my way

"So you call hooking up with random girls more important than one of your best friends?"

"Move out the way, I'm going to be late for Brianna,"

"I don't give two shits, you're sitting down with Gale, Peeta and I and watching that damn movie!"

"Fine but Peeta hates me,"

"Peeta doesn't hate you,"

"Oh yeah totally, especially after he called me the greatest jerk on the planet,"

"Well you are! You're hooking up with random girls because you're still hung up over Katniss,"

"I can't help it Clove," I say sitting down on my bed with my head in my hands "I really did love her,"

"I know you did, but she had to go to college, I bet that if you didn't stalk her you'd be talking to her on the phone all the time like Peeta, Gale and I," they're always calling each other, Katniss is rooming with Glimmer at her college and Peeta's dating Glimmer. Gale on the other hand is like her big brother and Clove is the girlie best friend. Where does that leave me, I hear you ask? Nowhere, that's where. I haven't spoken to Katniss in three years and I don't think I'll ever talk to her again.

Well done Cato.

* * *

I'm packing my stuff up from my dorm room. Clove told me that Katniss graduated last week, she said that she got good grades. I told her to tell Katniss congratulations from me but somehow I don't think that the message was passed on.

Clove barges into my dorm room; it was a good job that my roommate Kyle left with his parents yesterday straight after graduation. Lucky fucker.

"Morning Cato," she smiles

"Why are you so happy?" I ask moodily

"God, what crawled up your butt and died?" she says and huffs

"What are you doing here?" I ask, annoyed not looking up from my packing

"It's called an intervention,"

"What the hell are you-" I stop myself as I turn to look at Clove, I notice a figure in the doorway.

Her hair is in a lazy high bun that she can flip easily into place in a matter of seconds and she's wearing a large grey West Coast University hoodie, she's wearing black leggings and her converse.

"Hi Cato," she says

"Katniss," I reply simply

"I'm going to go find Gale," says Clove slipping out the room. I ignore the shadow in the doorway and continue to pack my stuff until something touches my arm. I stop packing stuff and stand there frozen.

"What happened to you, Cato?" she asks. I look at the hand touching my arm, her left hand, there's a silver ring on her ring finger. She's engaged.

"Could ask you the same," I say bluntly shrugging her arm off and continuing to pack stuff into my boxes. She doesn't leave. She just sits on what was Kyle's bed. "Do you love him?" I ask regarding the ring on her finger

"Honestly, no," she says and I stop packing stuff away, I just freeze "I guess I should take it off, I mean once a cheater always a cheater, right?" the dots connect in my head.

"You're engaged to Thom?" I ask shocked

"Yep," she says bluntly "And during the whole time we were together he was shagging Delly behind my back,"

"I never liked Thom," I say and she laughs

"Yeah... neither did I," I turn to face her hoping to find a smirk of some description but she's not looking at me, she's twirling the ring on her finger looking withdraw like on the six month anniversary of her dad and sister's deaths "I really thought he'd changed, he even asked my mom and uncle Haymitch for permission to ask me out on a date," she says "I guess he was a good persuader," she doesn't know it yet but I know she's upset about it even though she's still hiding it from herself "It was the year anniversary since the accident and he took me out, on a date, I let him, little did I know that on the second anniversary of the accident he would propose," I stay silent "On graduation day, last week, I found them doing it behind the bleachers,"

"So by coming here you wanted to escape him?" I ask "That's why you're here,"

"Yes and no, I need to think things through, he says he's sorry and that he wants me back but I don't know... Clove tells me everything, you know, it's weird, I'm practically a creeper, I just couldn't lose all of you," she says before I know what I'm doing I'm pulling her into my arms, she rests her forehead against my collarbone. This seems so... natural.

"I'm sorry," I say, she pulls back staring at me with what can only be described as bewilderment.

"You? Sorry? I'm the one who should be sorry! I never returned your calls, I tried, I really tried... then Thom convinced me otherwise," she says then she takes a second to breath "I'm sorry," she repeats burying her head back into my collarbone. My arms grip her tightly, never wanting to let go of her again.

Way too soon she pulls herself out of my arms and wipes her eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie, I pretend not to notice. She walks over to the window and stares out at the blue sky and green grass.

"Clove means well by me being here, she said it would help you but if I leave I don't want you to get back with any of them girls," my heart flutters when she says the word if instead of when "For the record, I didn't plan on screwing your life up,"

"I know," I say, my mind goes back to that day three years ago

"God, I sounded like such a twat when I said that, didn't I?" she moans and I chuckle

"So how long are you around for?" I ask

"As long as I want, I'll visit my mom for a bit, Clove insists on renting an apartment with me which means living with Gale for a while as well,"

"What about Thom?"

"Would it be mean to send the ring in an envelope with a note saying 'just go fuck Delly'?" she asks quite seriously, I laugh

"No, he deserves it," I say

"Anyways, Peeta promised me and Glimmer ice cream, want to come?" she asks politely, Peeta and I aren't on the best terms so I deny.

"Maybe some other time," I say

"There better be some other time because I didn't just come here for the ice cream," she says and I chuckle.

"For the record, I'm glad you came," I say and she nods

"See you soon," she says before walking out the room and closing the door behind herself, leaving me to my packing by my mind is occupied by another thought- did Katniss just admit to coming here to visit me?

"See you soon," I whisper to the empty room.

* * *

Katniss.

* * *

"Katniss, over here," calls Peeta and Glimmer who are standing outside the ice cream parlour, I smile and hug Peeta.

"It feels like I haven't seen you in ages," I say

"Well the last time you visited us was last month," he says turning to Glimmer and kissing her on the cheek, it would be cute if my fiancé didn't just cheat on me.

"Ugh, I hate couples," I moan

"Come on, let's get some ice cream," says Glimmer, she grabs my hand and pulls me in, Peeta laughs. After ordering our ice cream we sit in the booth in the corner.

"So what are you going to do about Thom?" asks Peeta

"Honestly, I have no idea," I say eating some ice cream

"I think you should dump his sorry ass," says Glimmer

"Again," adds Peeta

"I really though he changed, ya know?" Glimmer nods "It's like trouble waits for me,"

"Well you did start a fight with that bitch Delly," says Peeta

"She was humping my fiancé!" I argue

"Ok so you had good reason to," says Glimmer "But I still think you should give Thom back the ring,"

"Thom apologised," I say "I have like thirty missed calls from him,"

"And how many did Cato leave you when you left?" asks Peeta

"Two hundred and three," I say guilty "And I didn't call him back, does that make me mean?"

"No," says Glimmer "You were crying every time you listened to a message, mean people don't feel guilty,"

"So how was he?" asks Peeta

"Kinda standoffish, a little withdrawn," I say honestly

"He's been like that ever since you left," says Peeta, I groan

"Don't make her feel bad," hisses Glimmer

"I already feel bad!" I complain shoving a large spoonful of ice cream in my mouth

"I haven't really talked to Cato in a while," admits Peeta "We're not on the best terms,"

"Clove told me about that," I say with my mouth full of ice cream, Glimmer laughs and wipes my face with a napkin, we became quick friends at college considering that we shared a room and it would be hard to share a room with someone you dislike and not be subject to sabotage.

"What did you talk about?" asks Glimmer

"Oddly enough, Thom," I say

"Awkward!" says Glimmer

"It was weird," I say honestly "I got a bit upset but I thought that I was hiding it, obviously not because he hugged me,"

"Wow," says Peeta "You're back after three years and you get a hug, I could barely get a word out of him after a day!" Glimmer slaps his arm and gives him a glare "Sorry,"

"It's fine," I say "And it wasn't even weird," I say waving my spoon around, Glimmer raises her eyebrow to ask how "It just felt… right, comfortable even,"

"Strange," says Peeta, he changes the subject "Did Clove talk to you about the spare room in her apartment in Cali?" he asks

"Yeah, I'm going to take her up on it, what about you?"

"I live literally across the hall," he smiles "You do realise that Gale will be living with you…"

"Yes but what I'm dreading is that one day I come back there and they're having sex on the couch,"

"Don't," says Peeta "You'll give me nightmares!" we all laugh "So what, are you and Cato going to start hooking up or something, you do realise he's got a room waiting for him in my apartment, even though we're not exactly on speaking terms?"

"Ugh, god no, I'm done with relationships for a while," I say

"Did I tell you about the sign we had for when we were _busy_ in our room?" Glimmer asks Peeta changing the subject

"Was it that pink shoelace you hung on the door handle when we…?" asks Peeta

"Yep," says Glimmer, I laugh "One night I got locked out cause Katniss fell asleep!"

"You fell asleep on Thom?" laughs Peeta

"Well, no!" I lie and Glimmer gives me a look "Ok, yes, it wasn't exactly exhilarating and I was tired!" I argue and he gives me a dirty look "I went to the gym that day!" I say throwing my hands up in the air in surrender "I don't want to talk about this, let's not talk about this," they both laugh

"Hey, Catnip!" I turn my head to see Gale and Clove enter the shop; Gale has his arm around Clove's shoulder.

"Hey Gale," I reply

"After much persuasion, we got Cato to move in with Peeta, so we'll all be together again!" cheers Clove

"So I heard," I say budging up so they can sit down

"And we're holding a house warming party for you guys tomorrow night after you've moved all your stuff in today," says Gale

"Have you told Cato?" I ask

"No," says Clove "I didn't want him to invite any of his… um… lady friends?"

"It was my idea, I'm not cleaning up after his skanks," says Peeta and we laugh and finish our ice cream.

"So you ready to visit your new home?" asks Gale wiggling his eyebrows

"Of course," I smile "I guess I'll see you guys later, good luck with Cato," I say to Glimmer and Peeta, she's staying with Peeta for a while before she gets things sorted out, I still think that he should have asked her to move in…

"Bye," they smile. Soon Gale, Clove and I have headed out to Gale's truck, my motorbike is getting dropped off tomorrow morning and my stuff is all in the back of his truck so I'm all set, but there will be obvious tension between Cato and I seeing as he'll be living across the hall…

Let's just hope that the universe will work in my favour for a while…


	26. Chapter 26

Hey guys, this chapter will shock you so much! I have so many ideas on how to carry this story on for a while yet, however I was kinda disappointed with the amount of reviews for the last chapter compared to chapter twenty three. But the best review goes to **JennaArmstrong87** thanks to the four of you for reviewing, you know who you are! This chapter is 2,002 words long. Enjoy!

- Court

* * *

Chapter Twenty Six

The home warming party has started and I'm wearing a pair of high waisted shorts with a t-shirt tucked into it loosely, Clove insisted that I have my hair down but the moment her back was turned I quickly tied it into a messy braid.

"Kitty!" shouts a figure entering the doorway

"Hey Marvel!" I say giving him a one armed hug, he became my step-brother a year and a half ago when my mom married Mark. I pass him a beer.

"Thanks," he smiles opening the can "Still wearing the ring I see," he says, I look down at it guiltily.

"I've tried not to think about it to be honest," I say

"Well you kinda have to; he's been bugging me to give him your new address ever since you moved away,"

"What did you do?" I ask, eyes wide

"Nothing! I told him where he could stick it," he says

"Thank god," I sigh in relief

"But you do need to think about it Kat, he wants you back but that's twice you've been in a relationship and twice that he's cheated on you,"

"Well the first time I kinda cheated on him…" I mutter

"But you didn't sleep with Cato," he points out "If I were you I would just hand that damn ring back to him; I don't even know why you've still got it on,"

"What I'm going to tell you is a secret, ok? Thom and mom are the only other people who know about this," I say

"What's wrong?" he asks seriously

"I'm pregnant," I say and he stands with his mouth wide open "It's been a couple weeks, so I'm not in the clear or anything, I just- I don't know what to do," I say, Marvel wraps his arms around me and I bury my face in his shoulder "God I'm such an idiot,"

"No you're not," he soothes; I take a step back and wipe my face of the few tears that escaped my eyes

"What did your mom say?"

"She was angry at first but she understood and told me to do what I feel is right and she'll support me every step of the way,"

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't want to get rid of it,"

"You sure?" he asks and I nod

"I mean this little guy… or girl deserves their chance at life right?" I say and he nods in understanding

"Are you gonna tell anyone else?" he asks

"Eventually everyone will know but I kinda want to tell Gale and Clove first because I'm living with them and everything,"

"You'll make a great mom Kat," he says hugging me again; I give him a small smile before he goes to talk to Thresh. Cato suddenly appears.

"Err… hi," I say

"Hi, you ok?" he asks casually

"I'm fine," I say

"Wanna a beer?" he asks grabbing a can for himself "I know you like this stuff," he says wiggling a can in front of me

"No thanks," I say "I got my lemonade," I say taking a slurp from my can

"So any reason why you're not getting hammered like Clove and Gale?" he asks, I gulp

"I'm gonna look for a job tomorrow," I say, it's kinda a half truth, I should start looking for a job but it's not the reason why I'm not drinking… "Kinda want to not have a hangover for that," I say and he nods in agreement

"So how's living with Peeta and Glimmer?" I ask

"Weird, considering that Peeta and I fell out, but we bonded over some Xbox whilst Glimmer painted her nails and tried to work out how the controllers are wireless," I laugh

"Glimmer can be a bit ditsy at times," I say and Cato chuckles

"Katniss!" shouts Clove, I turn to face her, she's already tipsy and she can stand still

"What's up?" I ask steading her

"Thom's at the door," she says

"Shit. Are you kidding me?" I ask in utter disbelief

"Nope," she hiccups

"Oh crap," I mutter

"Do you want me to tell him to leave?" asks Cato

"No!" I say a little too quickly and a little too loudly "No," I say composing myself "I need to talk to him anyway,"

"You go girl!" shouts Clove "You hand him back that ring!"

"Cato? Can you make Clove some coffee?" I ask

"Sure," he smiles grabbing a falling Clove, he props her up against to counter before boiling the kettle. I slip away from the kitchen and through the living to see Peeta and Glimmer making out. Gale drunkenly asks where Clove is and I point him towards the kitchen, hoping that Cato will fix him up with some coffee too.

Finally I reach the front door. I open it to reveal Thom standing in the hallway.

"Let me get a jacket," I say, he nods, I quickly grab a coat from the hook and enter the hallway closing the door behind me.

I snuggle into the coat, which is way too large for me meaning that it's Gale's. We walk out the building in silence and we cross the street and go across the bridge to the park. We sit down on a bench, it's around eleven o'clock and the moon is high in the sky. It's cold for a July night, or maybe it's just the tension between us.

"Have you decided what you're going to do with _it_?" he asks looking at me, but I'm not looking at him, I'm looking at the duck pond.

"I-I want to keep it, if that's ok," I stammer

"Of course that's ok Katniss," he says, I turn to face him

"But I can't do it alone," I say "You need to stop hooking up with Delly and take responsibility," I say now face him and looking him directly in the eye

"I ended it with her on graduation day," he says

"Only because you got caught," I mutter

"Yeah probably, and if it wasn't for the baby I probably would have gone back to her," he says honestly "I messed up, didn't I?"

"It takes two to make a baby," I say, he considers this for a moment

"I think we should try again, for the baby's sake," he says "Maybe we could go to dinner-" I cut him off

"No," I say "I can't live unhappy, I don't want to try and make things work for the baby, things shouldn't have to work because they should already be working! We've tried this twice Thom and both attempts have failed," I say "But that shouldn't stop you from seeing your child," I say

"I also want to see you, you're the mother!" he argues

"You can visit once in a while if you have to, and I'm trying not to get ahead of myself here but I want you to be there for the birth, obviously,"

"Obviously," he agrees

"After that, we'll just have to work things out when we get there," I say and he nods

"Ok," he says "And you're sure about this?"

"No of course not, I'm scared shit," I say honestly

"Well, whenever you need someone to yell at when the hormones kick in I'm always at the other end of the phone," he says standing up, I follow suit and he hugs me, I hug him back.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it," I say "But I think you should have this back," I say pulling the ring off my finger and placing it in his hand "Talk to Delly, explain everything then take her on a date, I think you two could be great for each other," he nods taking in my words

"In high school you would never have thought that things would have come to this," he sighs looking at the ring in his hand

"We were naïve to think that life could be so simple, I guess that makes us a walking talking life lesson," I say and he chuckles "Good night, Thom," I say turning around and walking away.

"Good night, Katniss," I hear him say back.

* * *

The next morning after the party, we've finished cleaning up and as promised I make breakfast or rather lunch. I fry some eggs and bacon and all three of us sit down at the dining table. I'm not hungry so I just sit on the kitchen counter with my coffee.

"So I see you're not wearing the ring anymore," smirks Clove "Anything to do with that visit last night?"

"I'm surprised you even remember last night," I say

"I wasn't _that_ drunk," she argues

"Cato filled us in," says Gale and I nod

"Actually yes I did give Thom back the ring last night but-" Clove cuts me off

"And now you'll never have to see his cheating face again!" she cheers

"Actually…"

"What do you mean actually?" asks Gale protectively

"You guys are like family to me and your one of the first to know, I mean it's still early days but-" Clove cuts me off again

"Just spit it out," she says taking a swig of her tea

"I'm pregnant," I blurt, Clove spits out her coffee

"I swear I'm going to castrate that twat," she says angrily, Gale is suddenly the sensible one

"So what are you planning to do?" he asks as Clove sits plotting her revenge on Thom, I blatantly ignore her and answer Gale's questions.

I explain everything over breakfast. Clove eventually comes around and eventually we all end up on the couch watching TV in our pyjamas.

"So Momma Bear," says Clove, I groan inwardly at the new nickname she's came up with "What are you going to call Little Bear?" she now uses Little Bear to refer to the baby as she refuses to called them an it.

"Seriously? I'm a couple weeks gone and you're asking about baby names?" I ask incredibly

"Yeah, so I was thinking for a boy Neville or maybe Ron, screw it I like Draco better! There I said it!" she says holding her hands up in mock surrender, Gale and I laugh.

"I'm not naming the baby after a Harry Potter character," I say

"But Luna is a good girl's name!" she argues, I give her a look "Fine, no Harry Potter characters."

* * *

By the end of the week, everyone knows, even Cato. He barely talks to me, especially now. Turns out that Clove can't keep a secret for shit. _Thanks Clove._

We're all in Peeta's apartment sharing pizza and playing on his Xbox, Clove is taking a game out with Gale who sits and watches us play, I'm winning at the car racing we're playing, Peeta's in close second. My phone rings.

"Clove take over," I say throwing her the controller; she grabs it and starts to play immediately. I take a quick glance at the caller ID.

"Hey Thom," I say standing up and walking out into the hallway for privacy.

* * *

CATO.

* * *

I pause the game. They all moan.

"Why did you do that?" asks Peeta "I was about to overtake!"

"This whole thing is bugging me," I admit

"What's bugging you?" asks Gale

"Isn't it obvious?" asks Clove to Gale, Gale shakes his head "Katniss' pregnancy and how much Thom has been calling her lately," Gale's mouth forms an o shape when he realises what I meant

"I just can't believe him," I say "He does stay with her even though he's pregnant with his baby!" I say

"_She_ chose to leave him, not the other way around," explains Clove "She thinks it's better for the both -three- of them,"

"Plus it's only the early stages of the pregnancy," says Peeta

"He doesn't even come to visit her," I argue

"He calls like every day," says Gale

"Yeah to make sure that his baby is ok," I mutter

"Oh my gosh you're in love with her!" shouts Clove

"Yeah, I am. I never stopped."


	27. Chapter 27

Hey guys, this story will be wrapping up soon, I've started working on my new story but I wont upload it until I've finished with this one. I go back to school on Thursday so chapters might be harder to come by but I'll try my best! I kill it in this chapter... literally. Best reviewer goes to **Holly (guest) **but thanks to anyone else who reviewed as well. This chapter is 1,782 words.

-Court

* * *

Chapter Twenty Seven

Ten weeks in and I feel like a balloon.

"Sup Momma Bear," says Clove waltzing into the apartment "How are you and Little Bear doing?" she asks putting her keys down on the coffee table. I'm sat on the couch watching TV in my grey sweats and a large t-shirt.

"I'm fine, I don't know about Little Bear but I want ice cream," I say patting my stomach and going into the kitchen, I go into the freezer looking for ice cream but there isn't any. "Clove there's no ice cream!" I shout

"Oh yeah, you ate the last of the ice cream last night," I walk back into the living room with my hands on my hips "I've never realised how big you've been getting lately,"

"Oh thanks, Clove," I say sarcastically "Screw it, I'm getting ice cream," I say grabbing a jacket and slipping it on

"Don't be too long, Peeta's making us all dinner,"

"Ok," I say and pick up my phone "I'll be back in ten minutes," I say heading to the door, just as I open the door Gale tries to open it. "Move out the way pregnant lady getting ice cream," I say going past him

"See you in a bit then Catnip," he says going inside the apartment. I go to the elevator to find that it's closed for work. I sigh and go to the stairway. Just as I head down the stairs my phone rings, I don't even bother to look at the caller ID.

"Hey Thom," I say "What's up? I'm kinda busy,"

"Not much, just wondering when the scan was,"

"This is like the tenth time you've asked, it's on the exact same date as I told you-" just then my foot misses the step and my other foot slips and I fall.

I don't exactly remember the fall but I remember the pain and landing on my stomach.

* * *

CATO.

* * *

I get into the building and find that the elevator is closed for work. Ugh that means I have to take the stairs, that's nine flights of stairs… ugh. I start to climb the stairs.

_I wonder how Katniss is doing_…

I get to the seventh floor when I hear a crash. I turn the stairs quickly to find Katniss on the floor, which a puddle of blood gathering from in between her legs.

_The baby!_

I hurry down next to her.

"Katniss? Are you ok? Can you hear me?" she doesn't reply and I panic, I fumble around my pockets and pull out my phone. "Clove come down the stairs, Katniss is hurt," I hang up knowing that she heard me then I dial nine-one-one.

"Hell which service will you require?" asks the woman on the end of the line

"Ambulance,"

"What seems to be the problem?"

"My…" what do I call Katniss, my friend? My ex-girlfriend?

_Now is not the time for that Cato!_

"My friend," I fumble over the words "Has fallen down the stairs at our apartment building, there's blood, and she's pregnant,"

"We'll track your call and send an ambulance there right away,"

"Thanks please hurry," I say, the woman says goodbye and I hang up. I hear doors open and the rush off feet coming down the stairs.

"Holy shit," I hear Clove say "Katniss!" she reaches forward to touch her but Gale pulls her back

"Don't touch her," he says "You don't want to injure her more," Clove wriggles out his arms and falls onto her knees and holds Katniss' hands in her own as I cushion Katniss' head with my lap.

"You can pull through this," Clove whispers to her.

Even in this terrible situation, Katniss still looks beautiful, she looks like she's sleeping and if it wasn't for the blood I would say she was.

I hope she's not in pain wherever she is.

* * *

KATNISS.

* * *

My eyes flicker open and I'm suddenly aware of where I am. I'm in the hospital. Everyone's here; Clove, Cato, Peeta, Gale, Glimmer, Thom, my mother and even Haymitch.

I look to Clove knowing that she won't bullshit me. I raise my eyebrow; she knows I'm thinking of the baby. She shakes her head sadly and I break down.

"You're lying, you have to be," I cry "I tripped, it didn't even hurt that much, please tell me you're lying," before I know what's happening a strong pair of arms are around me and I bury my face into his shoulder, Cato's shoulder. "This can't be happening," I whisper

"Don't worry, Little Bear's safe," he whispers back.

_Little bear…_

Soon I'm discharged from the hospital with a dislocated ankle after falling down the stairs and having a miscarriage.

_I'll be fine._ I tell myself.

* * *

I walk, or rather hobble, with Thom to Cato's truck. We walk to the truck, Gale and Peeta are arguing over who gets the front seat as if nothing has happened, I want to scream.

"So Little Bear, huh?" says Thom

"It was Clove's idea, I was Momma Bear and the baby was Little Bear," I explain as I lean against my crutches miserably. I just feel so empty.

"I like that, it was your uncle's idea but he thinks that we should hold a funeral for Little Bear, bury him or her by your little sister and dad,"

"Really?" I ask shocked

"Really, he said he'd pay for it and everything and I kinda had this whole idea that you could sing the new Katy Perry song for the little guy… or girl,"

"I think it's a good idea," I say "Just something small, like Little Bear,"

"Perfect," he says "So what happens after all this?"

"I guess we try to forget," I shrug

"I don't want to forget," he says holding my hand "Katniss, you changed me for the better, I don't want to forget that, and our son or daughter is something that I would never want to forget,"

"I better go," I say turning to go

"We need to talk about the funeral," he says grabbing my arm

"Not now, Thom," I say

"Yes now, we need to talk about this!" he argues

"Just not right now, ok? I just can't, I can't talk about this now, I just can't, ok?" I shout, Gale and Peeta stop arguing, Peeta gets in the front and Gale silently slips in next to Clove who's sat in the middle seat "Bye Thom," I say opening the car door and hopping inside pulling my crutches with me.

Cato starts the engine; he and Clove have been silent the whole time. I don't even realise I'm crying until Clove hands me a tissue. She wraps her skinny arms around my shoulders and I bury my face in her hair.

"No more Little Bear," I whisper

"How about we stop off at the grocery store and get some of that ice cream you wanted?"

"No, I'm not hungry," I say, it's true. I don't feel anything. I don't feel happy, obviously, but I don't feel sad. I don't feel anything. I'm just empty.

* * *

Before I know it, we're back at the apartment block and I'm hopping up the stairs, slowly and miserably.

I'm tired and we've only gone up two flights of stairs

"Come on," says Cato stopping and turning to face me "Let me carry you,"

"No," I say "I'm fine,"

"Katniss, you're not fine, you just lost the baby, you are not fine, just let me carry you,"

"I can get up the stairs, I'm not useless,"

"No, you're just stubborn," he says, he lifts me up over his shoulder in the fireman's lift before walking up the stairs, we're moving a lot faster now and we soon reach the apartment.

"Peeta, let's make dinner," says Gale dragging him to the kitchen, Cato sets me down on the couch, putting my crutches nearby.

"I'm going to put my pyjamas on," says Clove "Why don't you put a movie on or something,"

I sit flicking through the channels, Cato watching me. I never settle on any channel, I just carry on flicking. Finally I give up and throw the remote to the other end of the couch, I'm restless.

* * *

Soon Peeta calls for dinner. We all sit around the table, everyone else is eating they're food but I just twist the spaghetti on my fork, it just doesn't look appetizing, nothing does. The few attempts of conversation that Peeta tries to make are ignored; no one cares about Glimmer's latest blonde moment.

"I'm not hungry," I say dropping my fork and picking up my crutches and hopping into my room leaving the others to their own devices.

I stare at the white ceiling, the feelings, or rather lack of, remind me of the time when Prim and my father died. It's nothing compared to that but I still feel something. Most of all I feel guilty. If I didn't want that stupid ice cream then Little Bear would be fine. It's all my fault.

* * *

CATO.

* * *

"You're the only one who she'll actually talk to," says Clove pushing the bowl of ice cream towards me "She needs comfort, you comfort her, even her uncle saw that,"

"She needs time to herself," I argue pushing it back

"She needs time to herself _with you_,"

"_With me?_ I think you're fairly mistaken! She was the one that left me for him!"

"She never wanted any of this to happen, Cato,"

"Nobody did," I snap back

"Just take her the damn ice cream," she pushes the bowl my way again

"Fine," I say standing up, Clove smirks and drops a spoon in the bowl. I go to Katniss' door and knock twice before I hear a hoarse voice shout 'go away'.

I open the door and close it behind me with my foot.

"Peace offering," I say sitting on the bed next to her, she sits up and I pass her the bowl, she puts it down next to her "You have to eat," she just sighs "I know this is hard for you, I just want you to know that I'm here for you,"

"Yet Clove was the one that forced you in here," she says

"You heard?"

"The walls are pretty thin here," she replies, monotone.

"Sorry about what I said,"

"Sorry about being so bitter," she says "I never meant for this, I wouldn't wish upon anybody and certainly not you," I wrap my arms around her

"It doesn't matter, I'm just glad that you're here with my now," I say

"Stay with me?" she asks

I reply simply passing her the bowl of ice cream and whispering the word to her whilst looking into her eyes "Always."


	28. Chapter 28

Hey guys, I'm actually going to lengthen this story a bit more than anticipated, I don't know how quickly this will end but this story will not have an epilogue. I've already decided on an ending, I just have to write it along with several other chapters. Anyway thanks to everyone who reviewed, best reviewer goes to **NyanPeetaCatMellark12** and I just love your screen name! This chapter is quite short with 1,471 words, some of this is the song by Christina Perri- A Thousand Years. Enjoy

- Court

* * *

Chapter Twenty Eight

KATNISS.

* * *

I snuggle closer to the warmth of my pillow, it's not as soft as I remember, I feel fingers tangling in my hair. I open my eyes and find Cato already awake.

"Err… hi," I stutter out

"Sleep well?" he asks

"It was alright," I shrug getting up and looking at the clock, it's nine in the morning "Thanks for staying last night, you really didn't have to,"

"I promised I'd stay, didn't I?" he says and I smile and look at the ground

"I'm gonna go take a shower," I say quickly grabbing my stuff and heading out the room. Clove's having some coffee in the kitchen with Gale whispering to themselves.

"So Cato didn't go back to his apartment last night," she smirks

"Taking a shower," I say walking off into the bathroom. I turn on the shower then strip down before getting in. I lather some shampoo in my hair whilst thinking about things.

Soon I finish my shower and I dry myself off then realise that I didn't actually bring any proper clothes. I put my underwear on and wrap my towel around me. I casually slip out the bathroom and find Cato with Gale and Clove in the kitchen.

"That's a nice look for you, Kat," smirks Gale

"You already have a girlfriend, pervert," I say walking into my room and slamming the door.

* * *

CLOVE.

* * *

"Good morning to you too," mutters Gale and I slap his arm

"So did you two get up to anything last night?" I ask slurping my coffee innocently

"She asked me to stay so we sat talking for a while until she fell asleep," answers Cato

"Ooh what did you talk about?" asks Gale

"Just stuff," he answers "Nothing in particular,"

"How is she?" I ask "I'm worried about her,"

"She's upset about the whole thing and she doesn't know how to face it all," he explains

"Who would?" says Gale

"Then there's Thom putting all this pressure on her for the funeral," says Cato "Thom says he doesn't want to forget about it, but by doing this all so quickly Katniss feels like he does,"

"Do me a favour, Cato," I say

"What's that?" he asks

"Look after her."

* * *

CATO.

* * *

Later that week Katniss sits at the dining table in her apartment, she sits staring at a blank page of a notepad, she has a pen in her hands, but she just sits staring at the page.

"Hi," I say sitting down opposite her

"Oh, hi," she says, her mind is elsewhere

"What are you doing?" I ask

"Thom wants me to write what will be on Little Bear's grave," she says still not looking up from the page

"Got anything?" I ask, she shakes her head

"I've never known anything to be so hard," she says burying her face in her hands, I reach across the table and rest my hand on her arm

"Just write the truth," I say

"I didn't even know him!" she shouts "And that truth hurts so much," I stand up and wrap my arms around her

"I can't pretend that I know what this feels like for you but if I know anything, you loved Little Bear and gave him a chance, most people wouldn't even think about keeping a baby when they didn't even intend to have one in the first place,"

"I couldn't lose another life," she whispers

"And that's what you write."

* * *

KATNISS.

* * *

I dress in black a black dress and tie my hair in a high ponytail. Clove lends me a pair of black heels and we link arms. As we walk to Gale's truck, Cato takes Glimmer and Peeta in his.

When we arrive at the graveyard I immediately go find Thom who stands with Delly. He gives me a hug.

"Katniss, I'm sorry I've been-" I cut Delly off

"Delly, it's fine, and now's not exactly the time to talk about that," I say, she nods

"I understand that you wanted this to be a small thing, I'll wait in the car," she says before walking away. Thom puts his arm around my shoulders and we walk to the site of the gravestone.

It reads-

_Little Bear, loved when others would have not._

"He's in a better place," says Thom, I can't help but shrug.

When they lower little bear into the ground I'm going to sing a song for Little Bear. I get my guitar out the back of Gale's truck and stand to the side slightly.

_Heart beats fast  
Colors and promises  
How to be brave  
How can I love when I'm afraid  
To fall  
But watching you stand alone  
All of my doubt  
Suddenly goes away somehow_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday  
waiting for you  
Darlin' don't be afraid  
I have loved you for a  
Thousand years  
I'll love you for a  
Thousand more_

_Time stands still  
beauty in all she is  
I will be brave  
I will not let anything  
Take away  
What's standing in front of me  
Every breath,  
Every hour has come to this_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday  
Waiting for you  
Darlin' don't be afraid  
I have loved you for a  
Thousand years  
I'll love you for a  
Thousand more_

_And all along I believed  
I would find you  
Time has brought  
Your heart to me  
I have loved you for a  
Thousand years  
I'll love you for a  
Thousand more_

_One step closer  
One step closer_

_I have died everyday  
Waiting for you  
Darlin' don't be afraid,  
I have loved you for a  
Thousand years  
I'll love you for a  
Thousand more_

_And all along I believed  
I would find you  
Time has brought  
Your heart to me  
I have loved you for a  
Thousand years  
I'll love you for a  
Thousand more._

I put the guitar down and as the hole is filled in I place a single white rose on the fresh dirt to symbolize Little Bear's purity.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I turn to see Cato, I walk into his arms and bury my face in his shoulder. Since when did I become this weak?

I can practically hear Haymitch's wise words.

_You need someone to look after you not the other way around._

"That was beautiful," he whispers to me and only me

"Is it ok if I just walk back to the apartment?" I ask

"Yeah, of course, but if you want to be alone, can I be alone with you?" he asks

"Sure," I say "But what about your truck?"

"Peeta can drive it back," he says "I'm not letting you walk alone."

Everyone else has left and I crouch by the grave. I can feel Cato's presence behind me but he doesn't say anything, he just takes off his suit jacket and slips it over my shoulders.

"Good night, Little Bear," I whisper as I stand back up, Cato gives me a reassuring smile. We walk in silence for a bit, especially as we leave the graveyard. It's going to be about an hour's walk and I'm wearing uncomfortable shoes.

We walk for another ten minutes until I cave.

"Screw it," I say pulling off my heels making me a couple inches smaller compared to the large structure that is six foot tall Cato. He chuckles and grabs the heels from my hands and carries them himself with his right hand, his left already occupied around my shoulders.

To anybody going by it must look weird that two people dressed formally in black are walking down a street, one without any shoes. But I don't care, with Cato the rest of the world disappears and there's just me and him.

We're about half an hour into a walk when there's a loud party playing music. Cato stops in the middle of the street and holds out his hand, dropping my shoes.

"Are you serious?" I ask, a smirk tugging at my lips

"Yes. Very. Now dance with me!"

"If this is some feeble attempt to make me laugh-" he cuts me off

"Then it's working," he says, grabbing my hand and twirling me around.

If we looked weird before we definitely look worse now.

We must look like total idiots as a few people that pass us give us funny looks. It's getting dark and the song changes to a slow song. I'm the one now holding my heels; my arms are around his neck and his around my waist, I'm careful so that the heel doesn't stab him in the back.

"We're lucky that we haven't been taken to a mental asylum already," I whisper and he chuckles

"Oh Katniss, you don't know the affect you can have,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask a little confused

"I'm in love with you. I haven't stopped."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter twenty nine bitches! Wow, that went fast, I'm going back to school tomorrow so wish me luck! This chapter is 1,855 words long and quite fluffy if you get what I mean... anyways best reviewer goes to... **divergentdinosaur**. But thanks to everyone for reviewing.

- Court

* * *

Chapter Twenty Nine

"Say something," pleads Cato, I'm in shock "Please say something,"

"I don't know what to say,"

"The truth would be nice," he says

"Cato, I don't know how to think about something like that when it was my child's funeral today,"

"I know it's messed up but I can't go another day without telling you," he explains "When you were at college I wanted to tell you, but you never picked up the phone or called me or anything so I gave up and-"

"Clove already told me everything," I say "And now it's my turn to tell you,"

"Tell me what?"

"When I got on that plane I was a mess and I realised, that I am undeniably and totally in love with you too," his blue orbs stare into my grey ones. We could have been standing there for hours just staring into each other's eyes but I didn't care, the whole world around us seemed to disappear and it was just me and Cato once again.

He rests his forehead against mine and just when I thought we couldn't get any closer, he closes the gap between up and his lips reach mine.

I pull back and leave my forehead resting against his.

"We should really get back," I whisper

"In a few minutes," he smiles bringing our lips together again.

* * *

That night as I lay in bed I can't help but feel that it's wrong to feel this happy when Little Bear is gone, especially today.

I feel guilty and can't sleep, so I climb out of bed and enter the kitchen, it's five in the morning and everybody else in the building is still asleep. I make myself a cup of coffee knowing that I won't be going back to sleep anytime soon.

I sit on the sofa, snuggled up in a blanket sipping my hot coffee and take in the silence.

Am I crazy thinking like this? That I don't deserve to be happy because I killed the baby? Sure it wasn't on purpose but it happened and if I didn't answer that phone call I wouldn't have tripped and Little Bear would be very much alive, right?

I really have to sort myself out. I mean I really like Cato and he really likes me back but surely if our relationship can be broken by one person being away is it really worth the hassle, I mean it's not like we're going to be together forever, especially as cliché as that sounds.

I sigh and take another slurp of my coffee emptying the cup. But I know one thing, I can't just sit around all day with no job especially after getting my degree at college, else those three years away from my friends and family wouldn't have been worth it.

I need to make that time worth it.

I wonder what paper shops will be open at five thirty in the morning…

I flip my phone out my pocket and Google search places open at this time in the morning. I grab my coat and head out, leaving a note for Clove and Gale.

I lock the door behind me and carefully walk down the stairs and walk to the paper shop.

"You're up early," says the man behind the counter

"Couldn't sleep," I say handing him the money for the paper "And I need to get a job so I thought I'd get an early start,"

"Good idea," he says giving me my change "Have a nice day," and with that I leave the paper shop and head to the park.

I sit on a bench with a pen and cross of the definite no's the circle the possibilities. Soon it becomes eight am before I know it and I'm getting hungry so I go find a café and order pancakes and coffee.

* * *

I sit at the table with an empty plate, slurping my coffee.

"You know, I didn't believe my dad when he said you were here," I turn and see a smiling Peeta. He slips into the seat opposite me. "So what are you doing here?"

"Searching for a job,"

"In a paper and not online?" he asks

"I got bored of the apartment," I say slurping my coffee "Anyways, what are you doing here?"

"This is my parent's café, did you not read the sign?" he asks incredulously, I look at the sticker on the window and it says Mellark's…

"Ok, so I'm not the best at noticing things, but you do make excellent pancakes,"

"Complimenting my cooking now are we?" he smirks

"Oh shut up, how's Glimmer?"

"Tiring," he sighs and I sit laughing "Ok, that came out wrong,"

"Very," I say "Has she worked out what she wants to do next?"

"She's still into interior design,"

"Don't tell me, she redecorated your room," I smirk

"How did you know?"

"I lived in a dorm with Glimmer for three years, she rearranged the room six times in three weeks, and now you know how my phone charger kept miraculously disappearing!"

"And there's a rainbow above the bed"

"Ooh!" I say "I hope you like her,"

"I do, I really do,"

"Good," I say drinking the last of my coffee

"I mean, I really liked you and I still do-" I cut him off

"Careful," I scold

"I know, but you and Cato are something special, the way he looks at you is like you're the only girl in the world, I want to feel that with someone,"

"Hello, are you completely blind? That's how you see Glimmer! Every time she walks into the room your face lights up like when you give a kid a piece of chocolate cake,"

"So here's the punch line, I think I'm going to propose!" I squeal

"Oh my god! I'm so happy for you Peeta!"

"So now will you tell me the real reason why you decided to slip out your apartment at half five in the morning,"

"Wait, how do you know that?"

"I left just after you to go to work,"

"God, everyone but me has a job,"

"Damn straight," he says "So why are you really out here early in the morning?"

"Last night when Cato and I were walking home he told me that he's in love with me,"

"And what did you say?"

"That I loved him back,"

"Then what's the problem?"

"I can't help but feel guilty, I shouldn't be this happy, I just lost a baby for Christ's sakes!"

"You deserve to be happy, Katniss," he says holding my hands in his "No one expects you to be sad all the time, we're all different and if you're happy with Cato don't let whatever anybody else says get in the way of that. Especially not Delly and Thom,"

"Thanks Peeta," I say standing up and hugging him "I guess I'll see you later," I say stepping back

"Later," he says, I pick up the newspaper and start walking back. I spot another job in the paper.

_Music Teacher wanted._

It's for an elementary school and the money's good too. I bite my lip and call the number.

"Hi, how can I help?"

"I'm calling about the ad in the newspaper for the music teacher," I say getting closer to the apartment

"Wow, nobody actually thought that would work,"

"Why?"

"There are barely any qualified music teacher's out there; can I get your name?"

"Katniss Everdeen,"

"Oh my gosh, where have I heard that name before?"

"I don't know, did you go to the California beach festival of twenty thirteen?"

"Yes, who wouldn't?"

"I was the girl that publically humiliated the guy that I was dating on stage, and sung six songs in a band called Mockingjay," I say walking into our apartment , Clove's about to ask me something but I hold my hand up to silence her

"That was you?"

"Well, it was three years ago,"

"I'm sure we could fit you in for an interview, when are you free?"

"Whenever you want me,"

"How's tomorrow, at three o'clock?"

"Absolutely perfect," I say enthusiastically

"Great, see you then," she says and I hang up.

"Who was that?" asks Clove

"I think I just got an interview to be a music teacher at an elementary school," I say shocked

"Congrats, Kat!" she smiles "Right! Now go take a bath and relax, I'm cooking dinner!"

"Ok," I say taking my coat off and hanging it up, I rush to get my stuff from my room and run myself a bath.

* * *

I come out the bathroom in and oversized shirt which comes down to my knees and my hair flipped into a messy bun.

"Someone enjoyed her bath," I turn and see Cato sat with Gale on the couch playing Xbox

"Where's Clove?" I ask "I thought she was making dinner,"

"She is," says Gale, they're playing some soccer game

"She's getting Chinese isn't she?"

"Yup," says Cato

"GOAL!" shouts Gale, I laugh at his stupidness "Come on Cato, you suck balls at this game,"

"Because I've got the crappy controller," he complains

"Let me play," I say

"You, playing Xbox?" asks Gale incredulously

"Hey I kicked everyone's asses at that car game,"

"It wasn't _just_ a car game!" says Cato and I laugh

"Just hand me the controller Ludwig," I say with my hands on my hips, Cato sighs and hands me the controller. I smile and flop down on the couch and Gale tries to explain the game but I shoo him off claiming that I've played it before with Marvel but he doesn't believe me.

"Goal," I say casually two minutes after he unpaused the game, then when we finished playing I beat Gale 4-1. "Not such a crappy controller, hey Cato?" I smirk dropping the controller on the coffee table.

"How are you even good at this?" asks Gale shocked

"Like I said, I've played it with Marvel, he can play a lot better than you," Cato just sits there laughing and Clove arrives with the Chinese and Gale calls Glimmer and Peeta over.

* * *

We end up sitting on the couch and floor around the coffee table, in front of the TV.

"Glimmer," says Peeta and I give him a knowing look; Clove raises her eyebrow at me, giving me a questioning glance. "I'm crazy about you, but not so crazy about the rainbow in our room," I laugh "Marry me?" he asks down on one knee. The rest of us cover our ears as Glimmer starts bouncing around squealing her head off with a ring on her finger.

Eventually she calms down as we all give our cans of whatever soft drinks we're drinking a toast together to Peeta and Glimmer.

"Actually I've got some news as well," I say and everyone turns to face me, now's the time that Clove gives me a knowing look "I've got an interview tomorrow to be an elementary school music teacher," everyone cheers and smiles and toasts to me.

"You'll be great," says Cato although somehow I feel that he's hiding something from me.

I wonder what…


	30. Chapter 30

Hey guys, sorry for not updating on Thursday or Friday, I've been busy with school, this is a big year for me so updates will be harder to come by. Sorry. Best reviewer goes to... **MaximumAngel1** but thanks to everyone and to the person that reviewed saying that Katniss doesn't slurp coffee and having a go at me for using the word slurp, seriously? no offence but how the fuck do you know?

- Court

* * *

Chapter Thirty.

After celebrating Peeta and Glimmer's engagement with a few cans. I decide that I better get some sleep for my interview the next day.

Cato says that he's tired and we head down the hall to the front door and towards the bedrooms. Before I realise the meaning of Cato leaving, he crashes his lips to mine.

"Good luck with your interview," he says

"You around tomorrow?" I ask

"Unfortunately not, I'm at work," he says slipping his hands into mine

"You? Working?" I ask jokingly

"Ok, first rude-" he laughs "-and second, you've barely done anything for the past few weeks," he means it as a joke but it hurts, I tear my fingers from his hands

"I was pregnant and if you care to cast your mind back, I lost the baby and it was all my fault. Thanks for reminding me, Cato," I spit; I turn and stalk angrily into my room and slam the door. I can't believe he said that.

I angrily flop on my bed and bury myself in its supply of warm covers. Eventually I fall asleep letting the whole world go black on me.

* * *

The next morning a get changed into some black jeans and a navy blue large jumper, I slip on my black converse and braid my hair and head out my room to see Clove and Gale canoodling on the couch.

"Isn't it too early for that?" I moan pouring myself some coffee. They break apart with an embarrassed smirk on their faces; I laugh as I slurp my coffee.

"Don't you have an interview to get to?" asks Clove taking the coffee from my hands and drinking some herself

"Not till three," I say "But I'm going to head out for breakfast,"

"And not eat my fabulous bacon sandwich?" asks Gale incredulously

"I'm not going near anything what those hands have touched," I grimace, then Gale huffs and I laugh

"Plus I kinda just want to get out the apartment," the line I didn't add was because I didn't want to see Cato...

"Ok," says Clove "If you don't come back before I go to work, good luck at your interview,"

"Thanks," I say grabbing a small bag and shoving my keys, phone and purse in it. I shout bye as I exit the apartment.

Cato exits his just as I leave, I ignore his attempt at a cheery hello and hurry down the stairs and he hurries after me.

"Katniss! Please!" shouts to me but I ignore him and get on my bike and put the helmet off before whizzing off into the city centre to head to Mellark's café.

* * *

I'm eating my pancakes when Peeta comes out the kitchen and takes the seat opposite me.

"Is this going to be an everyday thing?" he asks with a sweet smile

"Don't get your hopes up, Mellark," I smirk

"Do you know what was wrong with Cato last night? He was really… pissy,"

"Nope," I say shoving the last of my pancakes into my mouth, I change the subject "How are things with you and Glimmer?"

"Great, I only proposed last night and she's already planning the wedding," he says somewhat unsure

"Don't worry," I say "It means she likes you,"

"Well I didn't know that," he says sarcastically

"Oh shut up, I know you Mellark and you have doubts about the engagement," he shrugs at me

"How are things with you and Cato?" he asks with a smirk

"There isn't a me and Cato… not anymore,"

"What happened?" he asks concerned, I explain everything that happened last night and he nods taking it all in "I know it hurts, Katniss, but I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it, I think this morning he just wanted to apologise to you," he says putting his hands on mine again, somehow this is soothing and works for calming me down "And you two are made for each other," I glance at the clock and notice the time.

"I better go, I've got an interview to get to," I smile and drop the money for the food on the table, Peeta shoves it in his apron pocket. "Thanks for everything Peeta," I say giving him a smile.

"Good luck," he calls but he isn't talking about the interview.

* * *

Soon I'm sat on the other side of a desk in an office at hopefully my new place of work.

"Miss Everdeen, it's so nice to meet you, my secretary has told me so many nice things about you," says the principle walking in and shaking hands with me.

"Really?" I ask stunned

"Yes, she even told me to look at this video on YouTube," he smiles "And dare I say but your singing was just beautiful,"

"Thank you," I say smiling sweetly

"I think you're more than qualified for the job you've applied for here, I've seen your file and may I say you have made a lot of achievements but before I do sign you up here I would like to know why instead of being up on stage would you like to teach children?" I hadn't thought about this so I answer truthfully.

"I love music, it makes people who they are, I want children to discover who they are before they are told by someone else what they should and shouldn't like. Yeah being onstage makes you feel… amazing but it doesn't compare to being where you're meant to be and for me, that's this city and living with my best friends in a small apartment and hopefully teaching kids music that actually means something,"

"You had me sold when I saw the video," and with that I got the job.

* * *

"Did you get it?" asks Clove looking up from the couch where everyone is eating pizza and watching a movie, it's around seven and I spent a couple hours getting shown around the school and getting my things sorted there.

Afterwards the principle and I sat talking about music interests for half an hour before I said I had to go home, which I did. I was tired and hungry.

"What do you think?" I ask flashing her my new name badge. Clove squeals.

"Miss Everdeen! Look at you!" says Gale

"Congrats," says Glimmer

"You're going to be a great teacher, Katniss," says Peeta, Cato looks guiltily up from his pizza and gives me a small smile. I sigh and grab a piece of pizza for myself before walking into my room to change into my pyjamas.

I come back out in some leggings and an oversized shirt. I sit between Cato and Glimmer, Cato seems rather fidgety. Gale thrusts a can of something in my hand and we watch some movies.

* * *

Just when everyone seems to be asleep I creep out from between Cato and Glimmer and am just about to open the door to my room when Cato's voice makes me jump.

"Can we talk?" he asks

"Fine, just not out here, everyone's sleeping," I say opening the door to my room, he nods and silently follows me in.

"I'm sorry," he says as soon as I close the door

"Me too," I say

"Wait, why are you sorry?"

"For overreacting,"

"You weren't overreacting, I was stupid to say that," he says

"I'm not going to pretend it didn't sting," I say truthfully

"You don't ever have to pretend for me, I love you just the way you are," he says, his fingers entwining with mine

"Are you quoting song lyrics?" I ask with a smile

"I don't think so…" he says, I smile "You know what looks great with that smile?"

"What?" I ask and he answers by bringing his lips to mine.

* * *

I wake up tangled in the sheets, and Cato, in my pyjamas. He removed his shirt and is only wearing his sweats, our arms are wrapped around each other and we've slept with our foreheads touching as if sharing something that can only be spoken in our minds.

His ice blue eyes are staring into my grey ones and a smile graces his lips, my heat beats a little faster.

"Good morning," he says

"Good morning to you too," I say back to him with a smile on my own face "What's the time?" I ask stretching like a cat

"Half seven,"

"Oh crap," I say falling off the bed "I gotta get ready for my first day," I rush off the floor and into the bathroom, to have a shower.

* * *

CATO.

* * *

"Good morning Cato, I see you spent the night," says a sleepy looking Clove with a warm mug of coffee in her hands

"Yes, I did," I say and her lips tug up into a sneaky grin

"Did you _get up to anything?_"

"Stop being dirty minded," I answer "We only slept,"

"Of course," she replies "What's happening with you at the moment?"

"What do you mean?" I ask

"Work, you've not actually told anybody where you work," she states

"Nowhere interesting," I lie, Clove takes this an answer and continues to drink her coffee. Katniss comes out the bathroom in some black skinny jeans and a large green jumper; she grabs her bag and shoves stuff in.

"Leaving already?" asks Clove

"Yup, I'm so excited," she smiles, she comes over to the kitchen where Katniss takes Clove's cup of coffee and drinks the rest of it. Clove scowls. "Sucks for you," she smiles innocently

"So I'll see you later?" I ask

"Of course," she says grabbing her bag she gives me a smile before leaving, leaving me thinking...

_Could I really do this?_


	31. Chapter 31

hey guys, sorry I didn't update earlier I had four pieces of homework and i managed to finish them all as well as this chapter and im super tired so i apologise for any errors. Sad times in the fanfic :( anyways best reviewer goes to **Matt Diesel **i laughed a lot more than I should have but no he's not a stripper! ;) and thanks to everyone else for reviewing this chapter is 1,788 words long

- Court

* * *

Chapter Thirty One

CLOVE.

* * *

"What do you mean, Cato's hiding something?" I ask Peeta

"I mean what I say, have you noticed that he never talks about his job!" it's true, I have noticed it, and Cato hasn't actually told anyone where he works which is a little odd…

"Which means two things," states Peeta, I raise an eyebrow questioningly "He's either working for the mafia or he's a male stripper,"

"It's possible," I say "But Cato doesn't seem like the kinda person to do that, I mean hello he's head over heels for Katniss and being a stripper is practically like cheating,"

"I did take that into consideration," he says

"I just don't want it to be anything too bad,"

"I know what you mean; I just want Katniss to be as happy as you do,"

"Do you think you could do some more snooping?" I ask

"Already on it."

* * *

KATNISS.

* * *

"How was work?" Clove asks as I enter the apartment

"Amazing," I sigh "It was so much fun,"

"I'm happy for you, Kat," she says smiling at me with a big toothy grin

"I'm happy for me too," I say "Who's cooking tonight?"

* * *

CATO.

* * *

I answer my phone.

"Hello?"

"Am I speaking to Cato Ludwig?" asks the voice on the other end of the phone

"Yep, that's me,"

"I have some very good news for you Cato," says the voice and my ears suddenly pick up and I find myself smiling

"Are you serious?"

"Of course, you've been waiting on this for weeks, just pack up your things and get on the flight on Christmas Eve,"

"Wait, that's a week from now,"

"Yes and your plane ticket will be arrive via mailbox in around a day,"

"Wow," I say down the phone "This is happening all so quickly,"

"That's the business for ya; I look forward to seeing you again, Cato,"

"Yeah, um, you too," I say hanging up.

In the meantime, how was I going to tell Katniss?

* * *

KATNISS.

* * *

We all sit around the couch in Peeta and Cato's apartment or should I say Glimmer's newly decorated apartment.

"So what are we doing for Christmas?" asks Gale

"I'm heading home for Christmas day to have it with Marvel, Mark and my mom," I say

"I'm heading home too," says Gale "Posy misses me,"

"That's cute," says Clove "I'm heading up to my grandma's,"

"Well I'm going to Peeta's on Christmas day and on Boxing Day he's coming to visit mine," smiles Glimmer

"What about you Cato?" I ask "Are you heading home for the holiday?"

"Um, yeah, something like that," he says stumbling over his words, I see Peeta and Clove give each other a look which reminds me of an earlier question I faced.

_What was Cato hiding?_

"So we're all back here on the twenty seventh to have our own little Christmas?" asks Clove one last time as she pulls her suitcase over to the door

I smile "Yep."

* * *

"I'm gonna miss you, Kat," Clove says

"Cough, cough," says Gale in such a way that subtlety disappeared four thousand years ago

"And you too," says Clove pecking him on the lips

"God, too much action, too early in the morning," I complain, there's a knock at our front door and I leave the lovebirds 'saving goodbye' to each other.

Cato stands in the door.

"Hey-" I say but I'm cut off as he crashes his lips onto mine, it's a strong, powerful, desperate kiss, I pull back "What's that all about?" I ask "Not that I'm complaining," I add with a smirk

"I'm just gonna miss you that's all," he says and I hook my arms around his neck as his arms snake around my waist.

"Well for the record, I'll miss you too," I smile and he leans in "But," I say stopping him "I do actually really have to go, Peeta's giving me a ride and he's already waiting by his truck,"

"I better not stop you," he says letting go of me, I already miss the warmth he supplied. I pick up my suitcase and walk over to the elevator.

"See you soon," I say as the elevator doors are closing

"Yeah, see you soon," he says a little dejected, but of course I think nothing of it.

* * *

"So how was your Christmas?" asks Clove after I dump my stuff in my room

"Pretty awesome," I say "My Uncle even showed up, and he didn't even get drunk!"

"That's great?" I laugh at Clove's uncertainty

"Hey guys," says Peeta walking into our apartment with Gale, Glimmer decided to stay at her parent's for a while and spend some time with them.

"Where's Cato?" I ask

"I haven't seen him," says Peeta

"He hasn't even texted me," I say

"Me neither," says Clove

"I'll check his room," says Gale walking back out, he comes back in a minute later with a sticky note. Gale reads it aloud "I won't be back for our Christmas, there's a letter in Katniss' present that explains everything, sorry," everyone turns to look at me "All his stuff's gone," I stumble over to the tree and fumble through the presents until I find the one from Cato.

I look at the label.

**To Katniss  
Sorry.  
Love Cato…**

I rip open the wrapper to find a box and a letter. I gulp hard as I peel open the envelope.

**Katniss,**

**I'm sorry I left without telling you, I never knew what to say even when the right time came around. By the time you read this I'll be at a hotel someone preparing myself for my first gig, I've joined a boy band, you wouldn't like the music, it's shit, but it pays really good. I won't be back for a year and a year without you will break me. You must think I'm leaving everyone but I could never leave you. Not ever.**

**Before you think that this is goodbye, which it isn't! You need to know that I am totally and undeniably in love with you.**

**I will never say goodbye to you Katniss, because that means for us to have an ending and I don't want us to end. So I guess I'll end this letter by saying see you soon, I guess and that I love you more than any other person in the world, my one in six billion is you and I couldn't be happier.**

**See you soon**

**Cato…**

I stare at the paper for a moment before my eyes find their way to the box. I drop everything in my hands and run off into my room and slam the door.

He's gone, and we all know what happens when boy bands go on tour. The rest of us get replaced.

* * *

CLOVE.

* * *

I pick the letter off the floor and read it out loud.

"Well at least he isn't a stripper," Peeta says "Or in the mafia,"

"Now's not the time Peeta," I say, shoving the letter into Gale's hands and walking over to Katniss door. I don't even bother to knock on the door before slipping in and closing it behind me. Katniss lays in bed with the covers pulled up around her, she's not crying, Katniss barely ever cries.

"I thought you might want to see what was in the box," I say setting it on the bed, she takes one look at it before flinging across the room "I know this seems tough but-" she cuts me off

"Do you know what happens when people go on tour?" she shouts, he eyes shimmering with tears, I think to myself- Katniss never cries "They forget about everyone else because they're too important and above us to even call, then they sleep with someone they barely know and seal the deal that their so called friends mean nothing to them anymore, we're just as good as dead to him," then she cocoons herself into her blanket and shuts the rest of the world out.

I sigh, thinking over what she said.

She can't be right, can she?

I hover back out of Katniss' room and slump down on the couch.

"How's she taking it?" asks Peeta

"Christmas is cancelled," I state "Just give her tonight to sleep it off a bit and we can open the presents in the morning with a lovely cooked breakfast of yours, Peeta,"

"Yeah, that's a good idea," he says and I yawn

"I'm gonna head to bed," I say yawning again

"Me too," says Gale wrapping his arm around me "Lock the door on your way out," Peeta nods and we go into our room to fade into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next morning Peeta comes over and makes us breakfast, we all sit in the kitchen soaking up the smell of a beautiful full English breakfast, or more commonly known as heaven on a plate. I hear a door open and close and I'm surprised to see a cheery looking Katniss still in her pyjamas.

She's wearing black legging and a massive jumper that covers her hands and goes down her knees, the shoulder of the jumper slumps slightly off her own shoulder and her hair is in a very messy bun. She smiles as she walks over to the kitchen.

"Smells nice," she comments pouring herself a glass of orange juice, I stare at her in shock, the transformation

"How are you feeling?" I ask

"Great," she replies happily… weird

"How are you handling things?" asks Gale

"What is there to handle?" she asks, stunning us all

"What Gale means, is that are you feeling ok after what happened yesterday with Cato?" expands Peeta

"I don't think I've heard of anyone called, Cato, sorry," she says walking off into the living room, her fluffy slippers dragging on the carpet.

Once she's out of earshot we all turn and look at each other, each face shows how stunned we are.

"She's trying to act as if she never met him," I say stating the obvious

"What should we do?" asks Gale

"Go along with it," says Peeta and I turn to look at him with my eyebrows raised, Peeta explains his previous comment "She's obviously hurting way too much than she can bear to admit or handle and she thinks that to make herself feel better is to try and forget Cato,"

"It happens that quick?" Gale asks obviously surprised by Peeta's prediction

"Well it is for Katniss," he says "But if it makes her this happy, we can't exactly not go along with it, for her," Gale and I both nod slowly taking in everything as we agree to not mention Cato.

But I can't help but wonder whether Katniss really wants to forget Cato, she can't, can she?


	32. Chapter 32

Hey, this is kinda short, best reviewer to **LilyZ** and thanks to everyone, short chapter, another two tops in this story but don't worry I'm writing another but updates will be harder to do because of an increasing work load, ugh year ten.

- Court

* * *

Chapter 32

CLOVE.

"Katniss, something came in the mail for you," I shout as I walk into the apartment, she looks up from the couch and I hand her the small yet rather thick envelope. She raises her eyebrows as she uncertainly takes the envelope and opens it; she shakes whatever is in the envelope into her hand. There's a tape. She stares at it. "Are you going to play it?" I ask and she nods slowly before walking over to the radio, I switch the TV off as she presses the play button.

_Dear Darlin', please excuse my writing.  
I can't stop my hands from shaking cos I'm cold and alone tonight.  
I miss you and nothing hurts like no you.  
And no one understands what we went through.  
It was short. It was sweet. We tried._

_And if my words break through the wall and meet you at your door, all I  
Could say is:  
"Girl, I mean them all."_

_Dear Darlin', please excuse my writing.  
I can't stop my hands from shaking cos I'm cold and alone tonight.  
I miss you and nothing hurts like no you.  
And no one understands what we went through.  
It was short. It was sweet.  
We tried._

_Been thinking about the ball we dreamt.  
Feeling like the sofa was sinking.  
I was warm in the hope of your eyes._

_So if my words break through the wall to meet you at your door, all I could  
Say is:  
"Girl, I mean them all."_

_Dear Darlin', please excuse my writing.  
I can't stop my hands from shaking cos I'm cold and alone tonight.  
I miss you and nothing hurts like no you.  
And no one understands what we went through.  
It was short. It was sweet. We tried.  
And I miss you and nothing hurts like no you.  
And no one understands what we went through.  
It was short. It was sweet. We tried. We tried._

The horrible singing voice and the beautiful guitar playing must mean only one thing.

Cato wrote it for her.

* * *

CATO.

* * *

"Thank you and good night," says Luke into the microphone as we head off stage, this boy band crap is really doing my heading, the only thing that keeps me sane is thinking that Katniss will get those damn tapes.

As we get off stage there's another group of girls in extremely short skirts and low cut tops waiting for us.

"Hello Blondie," purrs one putting her filthy whore hands all over my shirt "What's your name? I'm Carly," she says trying to seductively bite her lip. She doesn't do it right, Katniss bites her lip and she doesn't even realise she's doing it, yet it looks so perfect and… alluring.

"You obviously didn't hear our introduction," I say rolling my eyes, I remember Katniss telling me that this is the best bit of a performance, they basically tell you whether they're any good before they end start a simple beat.

"Why don't you introduce me now," she purrs sliding her hand down to my private area, I snatch her wrist before she can attempt to do anything

"I wouldn't want a whore like you giving me an STD, anyway I've got a girlfriend," and with that I drop her wrist and walk away my mind focused on one thing and of course that's Katniss.

* * *

KATNISS.

* * *

Every week for the next three months I receive a cassette tape with a new one of Cato's songs on it. It's breaking me, it really is and I don't know if I can go on. I feel so fragile, so weak, so un-me it's unreal.

The latest one happened to be called 'Disasterology' I had to admit I cried, the song talks about him wanting to die now if it meant that we could die together and not live without one another. How could I pretend to not love him? To not even know him?

I'm sick that's what.

* * *

CATO.

* * *

You Da One was the latest one, it wasn't my best. I suck up air as I grab a pencil and start scribbling lyrics onto a page, to write a song for her all I have to do is think about a moment we had together. This time I think of when we laze around in her apartment playing Xbox in our pyjamas or her showing me how to play FIFA and the many games I challenged her to after that and of course she won every single one of them.

The way her dainty fingers hit the buttons and her grey eyes looked only at the screen knowing where each button was from memory. Those damn grey eyes, or as I like to call them perfection. I could stare into those for hours.

Her grey eyes.

* * *

CLOVE.

* * *

Katniss has been in her room every day for two weeks, I've ended up leaving the food outside her door. I wonder what's really going on with her at the moment. It's strange. I just hope she's ok.

I sit on the couch with Gale; he's got his warm arms wrapped around me.

"What do you think she's doing in there?" I ask, not taking my eyes off the door, his eyes are firmly glued on the TV

"Sleeping probably, work is tiring you know,"

"No, she's not, the other day I heard one of the tapes playing, one of the earlier ones and every now and again I hear something familiar,"

"Don't worry about it," he says but I can't help it.

* * *

CATO.

* * *

"God, you're not writing _another _one of those sappy love songs are you?" asks Jake rolling his eyes as he squeezing past my at the desk to go to the mini-fridge to get a bear "We'll never play them," he says, I don't like Jake, he's a jerk and unfortunately in this hotel I'm bunking with him… joy…

"They're not for us,"

"Oh damn, you have a girlfriend!" he shouts getting giddy, I end up clamping my hand over his mouth

"Shut up, ok?" I hiss "You know we're not allowed to have any kind of relationship with girls,"

"Is she worth it?" he asks now suddenly very serious

"Definitely," I say without missing a beat "When I'm with her, the rest of the world could vanish and I wouldn't care," then I sigh, remembering what Peeta told me over the phone. I find it hard to think that I really did that to her… it's my fault, I've broken her.

"You're in deep," he snorts going back to his normal arrogant self "Way deep," then he laughs "I bet she's screwing some other guy whilst you're away, I bet she didn't even bat an eyelid when you left, in fact I bet she doesn't even know you are-" I cut him off grabbing his collar and slamming him against the wall

"Talk about her again like that and I'll castrate you, slowly and painfully without the drugs you are oh-so high on," I say doing my best impression of Katniss' intimidating scowl "Got that?" he nods and gulps, I drop his collar and he slumps against the wall. I grab my coat and head for the door.

"Where are you going?" he shouts after me

"I don't know, just somewhere," I shout back walking into the dead of night.

* * *

KATNISS.

* * *

I knock three times on the door, my whole body shaking with nerves, what if it wasn't Cato that sent me those tapes? Finally someone answers the door but it's not Cato.

"Why hello," purrs the guy, he's in nothing but a towel which hangs loosely around his waist, I hear people inside the room and I bury myself into my warn grey oversized hoodie which I'm wearing over my black leggings, I'm holding my bike helmet in one hand and the tape in the other.

"Um… hi… is Cato here?"

"Shit, are you the girl he's been sending songs?" he asks incredulously, I gulp and nod slowly, he turns to however else is in the room "Guys, she's actually fucking here," he calls then he turns back to me "I thought the poor bastard had made you up!" he laughs and I raise an eyebrow "He always made you out to be some sort of goddess… and I can see why," he purrs seductively

"Whatever," I say "Is he here?"

"Nope, you just missed him actually but you could stay with us for a bit," he smirks "Just till Cato comes back of course," I shake my head

"It's fine," I say turning to go but I remember the tape and bite my lip before turning back "Can you give him this?" I ask holding out the tape

"Are you guys always this cheesy?" he laughs taking it from my hands

"Just make sure that he gets this," I say. I swiftly turn around leaving the stranger in his towel in the hall way holding the tape. I let out the breath I was holding and speed down the hall and make a left to go back to the elevator. Just as that happens I knock shoulders with something, I look up and see Cato, and out of instinct I bury my face further into the hood.

"Sorry," I mutter

"It was my fault, sorry," he says before backing down the corridor. I forget about the elevator and dart down the stairs back to my bike after my brief encounter with Cato. He looked fine without me maybe I was wrong maybe he did send those tapes but he probably didn't mean it, there was probably a new girl at every stop on the tour…

I climb onto my bike and slip on my helmet as I hear my name being called.

"Katniss! Wait!"

And that could only ever be one person's voice and that's Cato's.


	33. Chapter 33

Hey guys, this is the last chapter... *cries* I'm going to take a little break, probably a week or so, maybe less if I feel up to it because I am literally so tired it's actually become depressing. Best reviewers from the story have been ever constant with their reviews. Thanks. **Holly (Guest) **has claimed it for this next chapter. Follow me so that you get notified for the next story, this next one will be set during Catching fire and there's going to be a lurve triangle - Peeta/Katniss/Cato, well two lines really because I don't like the idea of Peeta and Cato being together.

Song- Paramore: My Heart

Anyways, this is a short, sweet, last chapter to finish this story. Thanks for reading and reviewing and following and favouriting. It's all in Cato's POV.

- Court

* * *

Chapter Thirty Three.

"Katniss! Wait!" I shout, I'm panting; running down four flights of stairs is not fun. She turns to face me but her bike helmet is on "You did a cover of that song for _me_?" I ask incredulously she nods slowly and removes her helmet

"The song was called My Heart, it's originally by Paramore and I meant every word,"

"Sing it for me," I whisper

"But you have the tape," she says

"But I want you to sing it to me, now," I whisper, our foreheads touching

_I am finding out that maybe I was wrong  
That I've fallen down and I can't do this alone  
Stay with me, this is what I need, please?  
Sing us a song and we'll sing it back to you  
We could sing our own but what would it be without you?  
I am nothing now and it's been so long  
Since I've heard the sound, the sound of my only hope  
This time I will be listening.  
Sing us a song and we'll sing it back to you  
We could sing our own but what would it be without you?_

_This heart, it beats, beats for only you  
This heart, it beats, beats for only you  
This heart, it beats, beats for only you  
My heart is yours  
This heart, it beats, beats for only you  
My heart is yours_

_This heart, it beats, beats for only you  
My heart, my heart is yours  
My heart, my heart is yours  
My heart is yours  
My heart is yours  
My heart is yours  
My heart is...yours._

She whispers the last line, our foreheads still together.

"Why did you pretend not be to you in the hallway?" I ask

"I was scared and your band mate is kinda creepy," I chuckle as she mentions Jake "I was scared to think that you wouldn't want me here, that you wouldn't want me anymore,"

"I would never stop wanting you, ok?" I answer kissing her forehead

"Then why? Why did you leave?" she asks "You hate boy bands,"

"I don't even know anymore," I answer truthfully

"Then will you come back? Come home? Cancel the rest of the tour?"

"I'd do anything for you," I whisper touching my lips oh so gently to hers "I'm undeniably in love with you,"

Then she whispers back to me just before our lips touch again "That makes two of us."

* * *

"You can't just leave the tour!" shouts my manager angrily slamming his fist against the table

"Well too bad because I am, you'll get over it,"

"The media will have a field day thinking that you've ran off with a girl!"

"Maybe I am, and they can put it in all of the papers cause I'm not afraid, they can read all about how I left the tour to be with the woman I love," and with that I turn to leave

"If you leave you won't be in the band anymore! That's bad publicity!" I turn back to him was a cocky smirk on my face

"For who though? Not me? The bad publicity will be for you, maybe I'll set up a couple interviews saying that the band wasn't what I wanted it to be, that the lead singer was high for the whole tour and that the drummer was trying to fuck any girl that came in five meter radius of him and that I didn't want anything to do with it especially after you told me to dump my girlfriend because it wouldn't 'be good for the image'. Yeah, that's totally bad publicity for me," and with that I leave the office, not looking back.

Outside the offices I'm bombarded by news crews and journalists, who'd have thought that in the six months we were on tour we'd actually get this famous?

I push through the reporters to the bike where Katniss waits for me with my helmet. I lift up her visor and kiss her before putting my helmet on. She revs the engine but the reporters still swarm up, I'm about to say something when Katniss beats me to it.

"Move before you're all road kill!" she shouts and they suddenly all clear.

God I love this girl.

* * *

"Ugh, we're out of we're out of coffee," Katniss moans and I laugh, she's wearing one of my t-shirts that ends at her thighs and some black leggings, she's also wearing ugg boot like slippers and her hair is in a very messy bun at the top of her head.

"Why do you love coffee so much?" I ask

"Because it gets me through the day!" she complains

"And I don't?" I pout, she rolls her eyes smiling

"Nope, I have no idea why I like you," she says with a smirk twitching at her lips, I lean forward and kiss her

"You look cute in my shirts," I say tugging on the long sleeves that go past her hands

"Cute?" she asks raising her eyebrows

"Ok, sexy, you're totally turning me on right now," I admit

"Well I'm about to turn you off because I'm heading to the store," she says grabbing her purse

"Get me some skittles!" I call after her, I smile as she closes the door behind her, not even bothering to change.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm in a magazine," huffs Katniss, right now we're looking at a double page spread on our relationship, which includes pictures of Katniss going to the store and buying me my skittles even though she's allergic to them "Haven't they heard of privacy?"

"Only when it comes in a restraining order,"

"Can we put a restraining order on everybody?" she moans

"But not Clove, Gale, Peeta, Glimmer and your Mother?"

"Don't forget Haymitch," she says jabbing me playfully in my stomach "God, I look terrible," she complains looking at the picture, where she went to the store in her pyjamas, well my shirt and her leggings.

"No you don't you look beautiful," I say

"But you _have _to say that, you're my boyfriend,"

"And as your boyfriend I can tell you that you look like shit, and let me tell you, you _never_ look shit,"

"Stop lying," she blushes and I pull her close to me

"Don't you ever leave again," I tell her

"Oh no, you're stuck with me now," she laughs

"That's ok, I like biker chicks," I say remembering the way that Clove introduced us all those years ago

"Well I like blonde boys that play electric guitar," she says getting my drift "So I'm not too bothered,"

"I fucking love you," I say

And her response is simple. "Do you even need to ask?"


End file.
